Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God

 

 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.  

 

In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

 

- Mark 14:12–25 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus was in the temple, following a confrontation with the religious leaders regarding His authority, He began to speak to them in parables:  "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  Have you not even read this Scripture:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "  

 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  My study Bible notes that while the synoptic Gospels (such as here in St. Mark's Gospel) date the Crucifixion on the first day of Passover, John dates it on the Preparation Day, the day before Passover.  So, in the synoptic tradition, the Last Supper covered in today's reading is the Passover meal.  In John's Gospel, however, Jesus, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), dies at the same time the Passover lamb(s) were being slain in the temple.  My study Bible says it's not possible to know which one is historically accurate, but both traditions are accurate theologically; the Mystical Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover meal (synoptic tradition), and Christ's death is the fulfillment of the Passover lambs being killed (John's tradition).

And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.   My study Bible explains that these two disciples are Peter and John (see Luke 22:8).  

In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish."   My study Bible notes that Christ emphasizes both that His betrayer is one of the twelve, and also that he is one who dips with Me in the dish, not so much in order to identify the person.  Rather, this emphasizes the level of betrayal; His betrayer is one of His closest friends (see Psalm 55:13-15).  

"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."   My study Bible comments that divine foreknowledge of the betrayal takes away neither Judas' moral freedom nor his accountability.  It says that for God, all things are a present reality; God foresees all human actions, but does not cause them. 

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."    To give thanks has as its root the Greek word eucharist.  My study Bible says that this immediately came to refer to both the Liturgy and the sacrament of Holy Communion.  Before the end of the first century, an early manuscript called the Didache ("Teaching") makes reference to the celebration of the Liturgy as "the Eucharist."  My study Bible adds that in AD 150, St. Justin said of Holy Communion, "This food we call 'Eucharist,' of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing [holy baptism] for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ commanded us."  Jesus says, "This is My body."  In the Orthodox Church it has always been accepted that Christ's words are true, (quoting St. Justin) "that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from Him is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus." 

 

Today's lectionary reading skips ahead in St. Mark's Gospel from the the one we read in yesterday's reading, from chapter 12 to chapter 14.  But it is, nevertheless, remarkable and interesting that we go from a focus on the parable of the vinedressers (who failed to deliver the harvest of vintage to the vineyard owner) to Jesus' statement in today's reading that He will "no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  In light of the discussion of the parable in yesterday's reading and commentary, we might yet again consider what "the fruit of the vine" means here.  Is Jesus talking about literal wine, or the fruit of the vine in the Kingdom?  Or is this yet another reference to the spiritual fruits which go to make possible the time of the New Jerusalem, the cosmic wedding feast of Bride and Bridegroom, of God and God's people?  These sort of "coincidental" occurrences and overlaps within Scripture (such as today's reading echoing an element of yesterday's from a different chapter) invite us to think more deeply about the language and concepts give to us by Christ, and to seek to understand what He has given us -- even the questions He invites us to ask.  It's also quite startling to look at the details invoked in today's reading.  When the disciples Peter and John ask about preparing the Passover, Jesus replies with very detailed instructions:  "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."   Not only is this remarkable in terms of wondering how Christ not only knew but had planned all of the detailed instructions, but how it is related to the note in my study Bible regarding Judas' accountability for his choice.  To remind, let us repeat the contents of that note in my study Bible:  that divine foreknowledge of the betrayal does not take away Judas' moral freedom or his accountability.  This is explained by saying that for God, all things are a present reality; that in fact, God foresees all human actions, but does not cause them.  Both Christ's minutely detailed instructions regarding preparations for the Passover (including what words to say, that the man will be carrying a pitcher of water, that they will be shown a large upper room), and His apparently detailed understanding of where Judas has been and what he has already done (in Mark 14:10-11, the verses just prior to today's reading) fall into this pattern.  The Gospel once again shows us that Christ is divine by revealing these details of His knowledge, even as we're given to understand that God's foreknowledge of all things as present reality does not take away responsibility from Judas.  It reminds us that every detail of our lives, of our days, our choices, our actions, even our words are known to God and are included in Christ's knowledge of us (see, for example, Matthew 10:30; 12:36).  In the context of today's reading, it is clear that Christ knows precisely where He is going (to His Passion) and how that is going to unfold.  As we journey this week toward Christ's Passion, death, and Resurrection, let us remember this knowledge about our Lord and Savior, even as we prepare to participate in it and live it with Him in our worship services, and especially through the Eucharist.  In keeping with the subject of yesterday's commentary, let us, moreover, with Him, look forward to the day of the new wine in the kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem -- for we also participate in that, especially in the spiritual fruits we produce through faith.

 

Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?

 

 Then He began to speak to them in parables:  "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  Have you not even read this Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD' s doing, 

 And it is marvelous in our eyes'? "

 

- Mark 12:1–11 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus and the disciples came again to Jerusalem (the day after the cleansing of the temple).  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

 

  Then He began to speak to them in parables:  "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others."    My study Bible explains that in this parable, the man represents God the Father, and the vineyard represents God's people.  The vinedressers are the religious leaders who have been entrusted to care for the people, and to produce spiritual fruits.  Every servant sent by the owner is another Old Testament prophet, coming to call people back to God.  The man's beloved son is Christ.  The beloved son killed, and cast out of the vineyard, is understood on two levels.  First, Jesus was killed outside of Jerusalem (Golgotha was outside the city walls); and second, that Jesus was crucified by foreign soldiers and not those of His own vineyard.  The others to whom the vineyard is given later are the Gentiles brought into the Church. 

"Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "  Jesus quotes from Psalm 118:22-23.  In St. Luke's Gospel, Jesus adds this caveat:  "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (Luke 20:18).  St. John Chrysostom interprets this as illustrating the two ways of destruction:  those who fall on the stone are people who suffer the effects of their own sins while still in this life; but those on whom the stone falls are the unrepentant who become powder in the final judgment.  

If we think carefully about a vineyard, we might come up with various ways to look at this parable and understand more of Jesus' meanings than what strikes us on the surface.  A vineyard is not simply a decorative object, something to own that is beautiful.  Certainly the vines are beautiful, and in an arbor they give much needed shade in the hot weather of many places they are grown.  Grapes are delicious foods to eat, with lots of nutrition (including antioxidants in the dark skins), and plenty of sweet energy and moisture for the body.  But a vineyard is also for making wine, and that's the purpose of the wine vat that the man built for his vineyard.  The process of making wine depends upon fermentation and especially enzymes -- the energies that work in an almost mysterious and hidden way to create the finished product out of those sweet sugars in the grapes.  It is similar in that sense to Christ's parable of the leaven (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21).  The enzymes/energies work in mysterious, hidden ways to create a final product.  In the case of the vineyard, the wine that is produced is symbolic of covenant, just as at a wedding.  Wine is essential in this sense, and features in this way in the Gospels.  Perhaps this is most strikingly clear in the story of Christ's first sign of the Kingdom in John's Gospel, the wedding at Cana and the water that was turned to wine (John 2:1-12).  One cannot have a wedding feast without wine, without this sign of celebration of the Bridegroom and the Bride -- and in the case of Christ, the eternal marriage of God and God's people.  But it takes work to make this wine, for it is truly the spiritual fruits that are necessary to make this Kingdom and to make this covenant.  Without those spiritual fruits, the wedding feast of God and God's people, the eternal story of the New Jerusalem cannot happen (Revelation 21:1-5).  This cosmic joy awaits the spiritual fruits of all those who came before and of those who enter into the labors of the ones who've worked for this Kingdom (John 4:38).  All the servants sent by the owner of the vineyard in the parable are prophets who've come before, into whose labors we enter when we live faithfully for the Kingdom.  They are those who have suffered, as indicated in the parable, who've given their lives, who've been martyred for this Kingdom, who sought to serve God.  But these vinedressers still use this vineyard for their own purposes, and they do not bring to the owner the harvest at the vintage time.  Their own corruption is what they are serving, without producing the spiritual fruits asked by the Lord.  They say, "This is the heir.  come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours," as if this vineyard is just another possession they can own and exploit, rather than something living to cherish and to treasure and care for.   The people are not led in good faith, and so prophets like John the Baptist are sent time and time again to inspire with their holiness, to call people back to God.  The people who are deeply thirsty for this vintage respond to them -- just as we have read in our recent readings, and particularly in yesterday's reading (above) when Jesus quizzed the religious leaders about John.  So the owner of the vineyard sends His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to come to collect the vintage at harvest -- but that is not forthcoming either.  For these vinedressers resort to murder rather than do what they're meant to do honestly, and produce the spiritual fruits of this people.  As spiritual leaders, they have failed and see the Son only as obstacle.  And so, the job of tending this vineyard will go to others who will hopefully produce the wine of the covenant for the cosmic wedding feast.  If we think about this tremendous promise of the New Covenant and the New Jerusalem, we start to get a sense of how each of us are called to play our role as a servant in this vineyard.  Through the whole passing of time of this world as we await Christ's return, we are all called to do our part, to work the works of God, the faith in Christ (John 6:28-29).  All those who have come and are called, all the servants, the entire communion of saints, the living and the dead and those to come, all the faithful who are known and unknown to us, an entire cosmic order is part of the vineyard and participates in its vintage at harvest time, for we all enter into these labors.  Let us consider the gift of the vineyard and our part in it, and how we are called through prayer and worship -- even as we await the commemoration of Resurrection, through all things and all time.  For we participate in something living and real, our very lives become essential and cherished in this endeavor, with the mysterious action of the Spirit participating in us.

 

 

 

 

Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things

 

 Then they came again to Jerusalem.  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

 

- Mark 11:27-33 

 

Yesterday we read that the next day (following the events of Palm Sunday, Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem), when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response, Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "  And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

 

  Then they came again to Jerusalem.  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."   This important reference to John the Baptist in St. Mark's Gospel tells us something essential to Christ's ministry, and our understanding of its setting.  John the Baptist is considered in the Church to be the greatest prophet.  But John's earthly life and ministry, my study Bible says, remained in the period of the old covenant.  However, we can see from the text how towering a figure John was in his time, so much so that these religious leaders fear the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.   The question to Jesus, we should understand, comes on the heels of His having cleansed the temple the day before (see yesterday's reading, above), and so it is once again a question as to Christ's authority [to do these things].  Jesus is not a Levitical priest, and so does not have inherited authority.  Therefore, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approach Him to challenge His authority to cleanse the temple.  My study Bible comments that, as Christ is careful not to reveal Himself to scoffers, He confounds them here with a different question about John, his holiness and the holiness of His baptism.  From where did John's authority come?  My study Bible says that both the elders' question and Christ's question require the same answer -- and would therefore lead a person to confess that Jesus has come from heaven.  By not answering them directly, it adds, Christ teaches us not to answer people who come asking about holy things with a malicious intent.

In what we might term Christ's repartee with the religious leaders in the temple, I am always perhaps as tickled as the pilgrims at the Passover were to listen to this "parry and thrust" rhetoric, which Jesus excels in, especially in these confrontations which take place during Holy Week.  We know that Christ is the Word (Logos), but we also must extend our understanding of that identity to Jesus' amazing way with words and use of language.  His parables are unforgettable and stand the test of time, even two thousand years after they were told.  Christ's language and figures of speech stay with us, both in their simplicity and vivid images they give us that tell us about the kingdom of God.  In the chapter that follows this one, St. Mark will report Jesus' quizzing of the religious leaders, as He taught in the temple:  "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?" followed by the note, "And the common people heard Him gladly" (see Mark 12:35-37).  Today's reading gives us a taste of that which delighted the common people to listen to, as Jesus debates these men.  Let us remind ourselves of the deadly serious nature of such a challenge, as these men are completely dedicated in their desire (and manipulative power) to have Jesus put to death.  But in Jesus' eloquent and effective response, we learn what it is to step lightly and at the same time decisively.  More importantly, Jesus teaches us about how to handle our own challenges when our faith is put to the test, and we're challenged by others to defend it.  We note that Jesus does not directly debate their charges here.  He does not engage them in the same way they seek for Him to be drawn into a defensive argument, and this is important for us to note.  Instead, He goes on the offensive with His own question, which they cannot answer.  Not only are they unprepared to give the answer the question demands, but they are on the spot.  He knows that they cannot be honest before the common people, who both revere John as a holy man and prophet, and listen carefully (and apparently, critically) to their response.  Jesus teaches us how not to sacrifice one iota (a jot) of the truth, while at the same time side-stepping the trap set to reply on the basis given here.  Jesus does not openly defend His authority nor even state His identity as the Christ, but He does make it clear that there is a heavenly authority, understood by the public (and even these men) and that this is the correct answer as to where His own authority comes from.  Jesus teaches us to pay close attention to our words, because they matter, but He will not give up a thing.  The truth He has to bring into the world is too important, and He will give His life for it first.  Let us pay close attention to His priorities, and learn from Him, and remember the price He will pay for the precious truth He brings.

Let no one eat fruit from you ever again

 

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response, Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "  And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

 

- Mark 11:12-25

On Saturday, we read that Jesus and the disciples came to Jericho (as they traveled on the road to Jerusalem).  As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.  Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer.  Rise, He is calling you."  And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.  So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

 

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response, Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.   Between Saturday's reading (see above) and today, is Mark 11:1-11, the passage which describes the events of Palm Sunday, or Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  Presumably, it's not included as today's reading because Palm Sunday was celebrated in most Churches yesterday.  The exception is the Eastern Orthodox, for whom Easter comes in May this year, as in Eastern Orthodox tradition Easter is calculated to fall after Passover.  (Passover this year takes place April 22 - 30, 2024).  So this "next day" described in today's reading is Monday of Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life, and corresponds to today in most church calendars.  My study Bible comments that it was not the season for figs means that this fig tree had sprouted an early full foliage, seeming to indicate a first crop -- but it had not borne any fruit.  So, Jesus, finding not a single fig, condemns it.  In Scripture, my study Bible says, a fig tree is frequently a symbol of Israel (Hosea 9:10).  So, in this case, it is a sign of the lack of fruitfulness, even after the fullness of Christ's earthly ministry.  The Kingdom will be taken from her and given to another people, called to bear spiritual fruit (see Matthew 21:43; Galatians 5:22-23).  In the poetry of the ancient world, and even of Scripture (Song of Solomon 2:13) figs are the sweetest and richest of fruit, and so symbolizing spiritual treasure.  Here, the lack of figs shows spiritual barrenness.

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "  And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Those who bought and sold in the temple were trading in life animals which were used for sacrifices.  The job of the money changers was to trade Roman coins for Jewish ones, as Roman coins bore the image of Caesar (worshiped as a god) and so were considered to be defiling in the temple.  Here Jesus -- clearly upset at the trade which seems geared to make profits at the expense of the pilgrims who come to worship at Passover -- quotes from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:1 in order to make an explicit statement about the practices of the religious leadership.  My study Bible says that the cleansing of the temple also points to the necessity that the Church be kept free from earthly pursuits.  As each person is considered to be a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19), it notes, this is also a sign that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of earthly matters.  

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  My study Bible comments that the cursing and withering of the fig tree is a prophetic act signifying the judgment of Israel.  It notes that the disciples need to learn that the old covenant with Israel is becoming "obsolete" and will "vanish away" (Hebrews 8:13).  They will establish His Church, filled ultimately with both Gentiles and Jews, and they need assurance that they are following His will.  Thus, my study Bible asserts, this fig tree will be an indelible image in their minds. 

 

  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."  My study Bible comments that, while it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, the patristic literature is clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (there are legends of certain saints making crevices appear in mountains).  Moreover, my study Bible adds, not everything the apostles accomplished was written down.  Beyond the literal meaning, this is a promise which illustrates the power of faith and prayer in all areas of life.  My study Bible quotes Theophylact as saying, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritually profitable things.  

 

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."  This is a very essential addition to Christ's teaching regarding the power of faith.  Forgiveness is inescapable as a component of the effectiveness of faith, and a part of faith.  In forgiveness, one does not necessarily invite close relations with people who will abuse or hurt, but it is similar to confession.  Forgiveness, in the Gospels, is a word that means to "let go."  Essentially, we "let go" of hurts, debts, trespasses (in the language of the Lord's Prayer) and give them to God, to guide us through the proper response and to heal us.  In this way, they do not stand as obstacles to our relationship to God.  This mutual forgiveness assures us of our own forgiveness from God.  In this way, we also affirm for ourselves that judgment -- for all, including ourselves -- is ultimately in the hands of God.

 

In today's passage, we're given rather vivid images of Christ acting decisively, even somewhat violently, with coercive action designed to make an indelible impression (in the words of my study Bible).  The first such action is perhaps His curse upon the fig tree, overheard by the disciples, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  The way the passage is written seems designed to let us know that this act by Christ was not necessarily one intended with calm foresight as a demonstration or teaching action, but rather one made out of the depths of Christ's reactions to the things He finds in Jerusalem, and even what He knows is going to come.  Perhaps it is only He who knows that this is the final week of His earthly life, and what is to come in a few days.  But this decisive action on His part has clearly the significance of a judgment coming from Christ.  Then He moves on to the temple and again, the vehemence of what is in His understanding about the corruption in the temple and the practices of the religious leadership results in the strongest and perhaps most violent action undertaken by Christ as He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  If we want to understand the indignation expressed here, we have only to look at Matthew 23, the fullness of His scathing indictment of the scribes and Pharisees and their corruption and hypocrisy.  These incidents come at this stage because it is the closing week of Christ's earthly life, so if we wish to extrapolate, we could say that the time has come because His "time" (or His "hour") draws near, and after that He will not be in the world any longer, and so circumstances for these institutions and these men whom He addresses will change.  John's Gospel focuses a lot of attention on Christ's "hour" (the time of glorification, of the Cross, His Passion), and so repeats several warnings by Jesus saying that it is only "a little while longer" that He would be with them (John 7:33; 12:35; 13:33).  In Luke's Gospel, Jesus says flatly, "For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end" (Luke 22:37).  Therefore, the things that appear surprisingly violent in some sense to us in today's reading come as Jesus knows the time is very near that His "end" is at hand, and the spiritual fruits that could be hoped for from the religious leadership are not forthcoming.  In this sense, we do well to consider that Christ's ministry is decided not by Himself alone, but by the Father, for it is the Father who determines the times of things (Mark 13:32), and so if no fruits have been produced by now, these leaders who now seek to put Him to death are far from likely to produce any fruits of repentance at all.  Let us remember that we are now in Holy Week, and walk with Christ knowing what is to come.  For the message here to us is clear, that things do eventually have an end, even our very lives in this world.  "Ever again" is long time.  Therefore, today's events indicate to us that our time in life is precious, and every moment is one in which we may meet Christ and find where He calls us, what fruits He desires from us.  What do you need to change?  Today's reading ends with a note endorsing and emphasizing faith.  Let us remember where to turn when we feel stuck, or when we need a new start.

And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road

 

 Now they came to Jericho.  As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.  Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer.  Rise, He is calling you."  And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.  So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

 

- Mark 10:46–52 

 

Yesterday we read that now the disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."  And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

 

 Now they came to Jericho.  As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.  Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer.  Rise, He is calling you."  And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.  So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.  My study Bible has rather extensive notes on today's passage, beginning with the comment that the restoration of sight to the blind was a sign which was expected to be performed by the Messiah (Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-5).  This is considered to be a power which God had reserved for God alone (compare to John 9:32).  Bartimaeus calls Jesus by the messianic title Son of David, which shows us his faith that Jesus was truly the Christ.  Moreover, in addition to the terms of the story, there is a patristic spiritual interpretation to this miracle.   As my study Bible explains it, Jericho was a low-lying city long associated with sin (Luke 10:30; 19:1).  In this spiritual interpretation of the passage, therefore, Jericho symbolizes fallen humanity.  In that context, Jesus passing through Jericho is an image of the Incarnation itself; God becoming human and walking in the fallen world. When Christ restores sight to Bartimaeus, then, it parallels His restoring humanity to glory (receiving light, so to speak, and illuminating them).  Having been restored, healed, and made whole by Christ, human nature can now follow Christ on the road to the Kingdom -- symbolized by our Lord's subsequent entrance into Jerusalem (on Palm Sunday; in the passage that follows, Mark 11:1-11).

When we stop to think about the setting of Jesus and the disciples on the road toward Jerusalem, we might do well to consider how in our own lives shifting goals change our perspectives and the meanings in the things we experience.  For one example, consider a young person who chooses to set a goal of going to medical school and becoming a doctor.  This shifts perspective to a place where each experience becomes filled with potential for learning how to become a good doctor.  Mathematics helps with understanding of chemistry; even seemingly simple business experience helps with considering how to eventually run a medical office.  All things and experiences might contribute to that goal.  Jesus and the disciples on the road toward Jerusalem help to teach us that lesson, because -- as we've observed through recent readings in the Gospels -- they go toward a goal the disciples don't really understand as of yet.  Jesus' glorification will not be the kind of worldly glory they understand from the world around them; neither are they prepared by the popular expectations of the Jewish messiah to deliver Israel from her worldly troubles with a resurrection of David's kingdom.  The Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus will shift and change everything, fill their present experiences with meanings they don't yet know -- and this is the surprising healing of human nature my study Bible speaks about regarding the spiritual understanding of today's story.  When our heads are simply filled with worldly or earthly images of what would make us great or glorious, how can we understand such sacrifice, or even what it is to be "great" on Christ's terms?  This is suggested by yesterday's reading (above), when Jesus tells John and James Zebedee, "You do not know what you ask."  For our eyes to be truly opened requires illumination on levels far deeper than material sight; it requires of us an understanding given through the light of Christ not just to intellect but to soul and spirit, to levels of the mind and heart that need healing, and adjustment to that change.   After Christ's Passion and Resurrection, and after Pentecost and all of the events of the establishment of the early Church with its persecutions, John and James Zebedee would have a much better idea of what they were asking about.  The illumination of blind Bartimaeus is the beginning of sight, to follow Christ out of the habitation of Jericho and whatever could be understood from this environment, and on into Jerusalem and beyond.  Jesus' glorification puts a completely different light on what makes greatness, what the light of glory is.  It's a different kind of goal that throws light even on suffering, for in suffering with us, our Lord engaged with the world and the pain of evil so that He could heal us and give us new meanings even in our own suffering.  In our modern world, we are often focused on a materialist perspective, one in which the things we consume and amass seem to define success and glory in life, for all kinds of reasons.  But we still (obviously) need Christ's healing in our modern "Jericho" environment.  In St. Luke's Gospel, Jesus teaches, "Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing" (Luke 12:23).  As we head towards Holy Week, and the final week of Christ's earthly life, let us keep this in mind as He goes through His Passion and to Resurrection.  For our own suffering is transfigured and healed this same way and no other.  It is only after Bartimaeus receives his sight that he can follow Jesus on the road.  When we see clearly, we can do so, too.

You do not know what you ask

 

 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."  And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

 

- Mark 10:32–45 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

  Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  My study Bible says that Christ's repeated predictions of His Passion were intended to encourage and to strengthen the disciples, as they will come to face terrifying events.  Let us make careful note of the fact that they are now on the road and going up to Jerusalem.  Additionally, my study Bible also comments that these warnings by Jesus confirm that He is going to His death in Jerusalem of His own will and choosing. 

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."  And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all."  In our readings from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Jesus has already been addressing the question of "greatness" among His disciples.  In yesterday's reading (above), Jesus addressed the question of great possessions and the obstacle that can be to entering the kingdom of God.  Here, my study Bible comments that this quest for temporal power and glory is unfitting for a disciple and shows an earthly misunderstanding of the kingdom of God.   In Matthew's Gospel it's reported that the mother of Zebedee's sons makes the request for this honor, but as is clear in the Greek text, Christ responds by addressing them in the plural ("What do you want Me to do for you?"; verse 36).  My study Bible notes also that Christ calls His Crucifixion a cup and His death a baptism.  It says that the Cross is a cup because He drinks it willingly (Hebrews 12:2); His death is baptism because He was completely immersed in it, yet it cleansed the world (Romans 6:3-6).  Here it is also noted that Christ's words to the Zebedee brothers are a prophecy.  That they will indeed participate in the same cup and baptism shows the life of persecution and martyrdom which both would lead after Pentecost.  Furthermore, that Christ says the places of honor in the Kingdom are not His to give doesn't mean that He lacks authority.  What it means is that these are not Christ's to give arbitrarily.  He will give them to those for whom God has prepared them.  With regard to sitting as equals on Christ's right and left hand in His Kingdom, St. John Chrysostom says that no one could possibly occupy a position like that.  In terms of the highest places of honor given to human beings, my study Bible notes that the icons of the Church universally show the Virgin Mary (the most blessed among women - Luke 1:28) and John the Baptist (the greatest born of women - Matthew 11:11) holding these places.  

 

 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  For many as used here is an Aramaic expression, which means "for all."

As pointed out above, in several readings this week Jesus has addressed the issue of greatness and what that is in His Church and His Kingdom.  Therefore, it is somewhat surprising at this stage that these apostles, John and James Zebedee, who together with St. Peter make up three "pillars of faith," should now come to Christ with this request.  They are the ones, together with Peter, whom Jesus has taken with Him in times that called for the greatest strength of faith:  in the healing of Jairus' daughter, and at the Transfiguration (and the healing that followed).  It seems quite possible that, at this stage when Jesus' intention is very clear that He is setting off on the road to Jerusalem, the brothers (and their mother, as indicated in St. Matthew's Gospel), believe that the purpose of going to Jerusalem is to inaugurate this Kingdom, which they assume will be an earthly one.  Perhaps it is, after all, because James and John have been so close to Jesus as part of His "inner circle" together with Peter that they seek these places of honor. But, as in the cases where Peter's behavior is disappointing (such as in his denials of Christ to come at Mark 14:29-31), or the times the disciples haven't measured up to the kind of faith Christ would ask of them (as in this reading), or have so lacked understanding it seemed to exasperate Jesus (in this reading), perhaps we are given these examples by the disciples to teach us something important.  For we learn primarily that discipleship is not a one-time quiz or test that we either pass or fail, but a lifelong journey.  Indeed the word for disciple in the Greek of the Gospels means "learner" (μαθητής/mathetes).  In modern Greek this word is used to mean "student."  Discipleship, in the context of the Gospels, is a lifelong road.  And we can see for ourselves, through the remarkably short three-year period of Christ's ministry, how the disciples grow and become the apostles they would eventually be.  As my study Bible pointed out, both John and James Zebedee (also named "Sons of Thunder" by Jesus as we read in Mark 3:17) would truly both drink Christ's cup and be baptized with His baptism.  James would be the first of the apostles to be martyred (in AD 44, beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem; see Acts 12:2).  John would go on to a long life of persecution and exile, producing one Gospel, three Epistles, and the Revelation, as well as caring for Mary the Mother of God (John 19:26).  So what is it that will take these two men (and presumably their mother) from the ones who demand the two most important places in Christ's Kingdom, on His right and on His left, to the ones who would serve with the kind of greatness that Jesus has described over the course of the past several readings?  Christ's Passion itself, just ahead of them in Jerusalem, will without a doubt take them through its shattering realities and the tremendous story of Christ's sacrifice "for many," as Jesus prophesies in today's reading.  But the powerful spiritual realities to come, of Resurrection, and of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as well as the growth of the Church and its many servants to come, will no doubt have their effects upon all of them.  Let us take these examples to heart, and understand that for each of us, our journey forward into discipleship and deepening faith might very well take us through the deep changes of heart and mind as exemplified by these Sons of Thunder.  Let us be grateful for the grace we're given and the examples in the Gospels.  When these men make their request of Jesus, He tells them truthfully, "You do not know what you ask."  But they would learn in time, and through faith.  Let us remember that we, also, may have a lot to learn along the way.  Clearly, when we pray, we also may not know what we ask.  Let us keep our patience and keep learning as disciples throughout our lives, and pray for the grace to change and accept what we're meant to learn. 

Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17-31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus arose from Capernaum in Galilee and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So 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."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

  Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."   My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response is not to deny that He is God, but rather to lead the rich man to that knowledge.   Note also that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God; however, as my study Bible suggests here, this man had an earnest desire for eternal life and sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, in such a context, he continue to press Christ for the answer. 

 

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   It's important that the text tells us specifically that Jesus loved him.   My study Bible comments that to be perfect ("one thing you lack") one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  It adds that nothing is gained unless this sacrifice is given freely.  But the specifics of how a person follows Christ will vary for each one.  In this case, wealth had a great grip on this rich man and his identity, so his only hope was to sell and give away his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible notes, to give away his possessions is the least of Christ's instructions to this man.  To follow Jesus in all things is a much greater and more difficult calling.  

 

 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  My study Bible cites various interpretations which have been suggested for this impossible image of a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  One suggestion has been that the word wasn't "camel" but an Aramaic word that sounds alike and, in fact, means "rope."  Another has been offered that the "eye of a needle" was actually the name of a very narrow city gate, through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were unloaded of all of its baggage (symbolizing wealth).  There is an expression in the Talmud, "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  In any case, the image shows the impossibility of salvation for those attached to riches.  And the key is really in the understanding of what it is to be "attached" in this sense.  My study Bible says that this is made clear by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even things which are impossible for us of our own efforts alone can come to pass.

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study Bible remarks that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children here.  Again, it cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who explains this as referring to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Moreover, here believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual one.  That is, the fathers and mothers of the Church, sisters and brothers in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

Of course this story is always somewhat shocking, no matter how many times we have heard it before.  Imagine being asked to give up everything one owns.  The concept is striking, for in our lives we seem to depend upon accumulating, saving, amassing things we need -- and not only for ourselves but for our families.  It is imaginable here that these possessions aren't really things this young man has accumulated by himself, but that he has inherited from his family.  In Matthew's Gospel, we're told that this is a young man (Matthew 19:20), and even in this story here in Mark's Gospel, we can see from the way he seeks out Christ, and the way Christ advises him, the youth in this person.  The idea that Jesus loves him tells  us about a kind of tenderness toward a young person who sincerely seeks the good.  But to give up wealth and possessions, particularly what we may assume is family wealth, and likely inherited property (as this society is not the upwardly mobile industrial period we know), speaks to how difficult this command might really be for the young man.  To give up these possessions likely means giving up family identity, for inherited wealth played a great role in this society, especially on the Council (particularly among the Sadducees).  Luke tells us, in fact, that this young man is a ruler, and so likely occupies an important and possibly inherited place in the society (Luke 18:18).  All of these things combine to tell us of the difficulties, hurdles, and obstacles this young man (whom Jesus loved, let us remember) had to struggle with in order to follow Christ's command to sell whatever he had and give it to the poor.  But those things illuminate struggles that may come our way, too, if our faith leads us to follow a different set of values than our parents or family would prefer.  Perhaps we also are led to follow a path where our lives are not dominated by the struggle for wealth, or to gain social position or status.  For these pursuits still play a great role in our world, in the status and esteem in which we're held by others, and in the ambitions parents, family, and loved ones -- even friends -- may have for us or wish to share.  In yesterday's commentary, we explored to an extent what it means to "make your eye single" in the command Jesus gives in Matthew 6:22.  That is the language of the King James Version, which is much closer to the Greek.  In the same passage (and also in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke's Gospel), Jesus continues with this illustration of single-minded focus by teaching, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24).  In this context, we can see how the demands placed upon this young man by his wealth and possessions can get in the way of following Christ with a single-minded focus.  His family ties, his inherited position, his place as a ruler linked to to his wealth -- all of these would easily create a conflict of interest with the discipleship required by Christ of His followers, particularly at this time.  We can imagine the struggle ahead as Christ's ministry becomes one perceived with hostility by the religious rulers, and Christ is persecuted and killed, as His followers will become persecuted in the synagogues.  We know that Christ had other followers with a wealthy or prominent background, such as Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea, but in the tradition of the Church it is assumed they left these things behind to follow Christ and instead played significant roles in the early Church.  St. Paul is the other great example we have of a man who left everything behind, including his life as a Pharisee, to follow Christ.  In today's passage, the disciples themselves speak of all the things they have left behind to dedicate themselves to following Christ as they are led by Him to do so.  All of these things should combine to sober us to the possibilities regarding where Christ will lead us, to the things we might even be led to give up ourselves.  As. St. Chrysostom teaches, the ways in which we are taught to give up things in our lives that stand in the way of following Christ in a single-minded and fully committed manner will be different for each.  We don't all share the same task, the same pursuit which Christ asks of us.  Neither do we share the same types of attachments to let go.  But one thing He asks for is our full hearts, with nothing kept back.  The process of faith is that lifelong honing down by casting aside the things that stand in the way of its growth, the things we don't need, and taking up instead the way He asks of us.  With sober hearts, let us consider where He teaches us to go, and what it means to grow into the fullness of the life He offers.

 

For of such is the kingdom of God

 

 Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So 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."

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

- Mark 10:1–16 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the disciples, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

 

  Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  Jesus has once again left Galilee, and now has come to the region of Judea, but not to Jerusalem.  Rather He is east of the Jordan (see this map).   

The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him. The Pharisees no doubt know Jesus is in this area teaching to multitudes.  They've come from Jerusalem specifically to test Him.  Divorce was a hotly contested issue in Christ's time, with issues that complicated the nature of divorce because of the contractual agreements, and specifically monies involved, such as the bride-price.  Who would gain control of this money, and lose it through divorce, became a part of the problems of marriage, including remarriage to the same person as a way to gain money.  The Pharisees were actually closer to Christ's position than were other parties in the arguments over this issue.

And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."  The basis for the Pharisees' test is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  My study Bible comments that, in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see, for example, Matthew 5:31-32; 19:8-9).  Instead, Jesus emphasizes marriage as a holy institution with an eternal nature.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives as a possible reason for divorce sexual immorality, which shows that even holy matrimony can be destroyed by sin.  Jesus quotes from Genesis 1:27; 5:2 and Genesis 2:24.

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So 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."  My study Bible comments that God's condescension, or allowance for human weakness (by allowing divorce), does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1; 2.  Here, Jesus speaks with authority to the disciples, adding His own clear prohibition against divorce.  My study Bible also explains that the permissible reason for divorce were expanded in the ancient Church to include threat to a spouse's or child's life and desertion -- but in all cases acknowledging the spiritual tragedy of such a situation.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.  According to Theophylact, the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ because their manner was "unruly" and moreover because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  But Christ turns this thinking on its head, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of God.  So therefore, my study Bible explains, children are invited (even as an example to adults) to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  Theophylact is further quoted by my study Bible:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in completely simplicity."  

With regard to this final comment by Theophylact (as quoted in my study Bible), it's worth taking a look at the important concept of simplicity in Biblical and hence the historical theological terms of the Church.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matthew 6:22 KJV).  This verse is often translated to read that one should make one's eye "good" (NKJV), or "sound" (RSV).  But in the Greek of the text, this word translated in various ways is ἁπλοῦς/aplous, which can mean both "simple" and "single."  It literally means "unfolded," and therefore we should think of it as undivided, uncomplicated; or, more to the point, it is the opposite of double.  So, in this sense, to be "simple" and for one's eye to be "single" means without an agenda, straightforward, sincere, without guile; not double-minded.  It speaks to purity of heart.  This concept of the single or simple eye is also linked to that of the evil eye, meaning envy.  (See the reference by Jesus to an evil eye in Mark 7:21-23, as part of this reading).  So, if we're going to take a close look (no pun intended!) at what it means to be "simple" in the Biblical context, we may come to understand something important related both to the little children whom Jesus says are of the kingdom of God, and something important about divorce as well.  Because divorce is so often linked to covetousness, leading to adultery, the concepts here are intertwined.  It is also reflected in the concepts of yesterday's reading (above), in which Jesus taught that "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out."  To gaze with envy or with covetousness, both of which can play a strong role leading to divorce, is to have an "evil eye" which is not simple but rather double-minded, containing hidden motivations and agendas.  Rather than a single-minded devotion to one's marriage, this kind of narrowing of the gaze, or doubling of one's interior intentions, skews the purposes to which God has instituted holy matrimony and our deepest and strongest relationships.  This is further emphasized by Jesus quoting from the Old Testament that "the two shall become one flesh."  Again, "one flesh" emphasizes the single and the simple nature of the deep bond described as marriage here.   This emphasis on singleness/simplicity is also reflected in Jesus' words to the disciples as He sends them out on their first apostolic mission.  Matthew 10:16 is often translated as teaching the disciples to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  But the word translated as "harmless" is ἀκέραιος/akeraios, meaning "unmixed."  Again the emphasis is on simplicity or singleness meaning "innocent" (it's the same Greek word that St. Paul uses in Romans 16:19).  In all of these related ways, simplicity or singleness becomes an important concept for us to consider when it comes to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Finally, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).  Unadulterated, unmixed, simple, single-minded ("eyed"), without guile or deceit:  these are the concepts that define pure in heart, meaning that one is the same from the inside to the outside.  Let us consider how central these concepts are to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and His gospel, and how we seek to live our lives.