Marcos 12
Theophylact of Ohrid
Marcos 12:1-9
The vineyard signifies the Jewish people, which the Lord planted: "Protect," it is said, "that which Thy right hand hath planted" (Ps. 79:16), and Moses says: "Bring him in and plant him in the mountain of Thine inheritance" (Ex. 15:17). By the "hedge" is understood the Law, which did not allow the Jews to mingle with other nations. The "tower" is the temple, which was magnificent. By the "winepress" is signified the altar, upon which sacrificial blood was poured out. God gave His people over to "vinedressers," that is, to the teachers and rulers of the Jews, each in their own time. He sent first one servant, that is, as one may suppose, the prophets who lived around the time of Elijah, for example Micaiah, whom the false prophet Zedekiah struck (3 Kings 22:24); He sent another, whose head they wounded with stones and thus subjected to utter disgrace — this may be referred to the times of Hosea and Isaiah; He sent also a third servant, which may be understood of the prophets of the time of the Jewish captivity, for example Daniel and Ezekiel. Finally, God sent His Son (who is called a man on account of His love for mankind), saying: "They will reverence My Son." He said this knowing what they would do to His Son, but expressing what, according to His intention, ought to have been and what was possible. But the wicked husbandmen, knowing that this was the Heir of the vineyard, led Him out of the vineyard, that is, out of Jerusalem, and put Him to death. Christ was indeed crucified outside the city. For this reason the Lord of the vineyard, the Father of the slain Son, or rather, the slain Son Himself, will destroy those husbandmen, delivering them over to the Romans, and will give His vineyard to other husbandmen, that is, to the apostles. Do you wish to know how the apostles cultivated this vineyard? Read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and you will see how three thousand (Acts 2:41) and five thousand souls at once (Acts 4:4) believed and began to bring forth fruit to God. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:1-9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, the hedge is the law, which prohibited their mingling with strangers. There follows, And went into a far country. Or else, By the first servant, understand the prophets who lived about the time of Elias, (2 Chron. 18:23.) for Zedekiah the false prophet beat Micaiah; and by the second servant whom they wounded in the head, that is, evil entreated, we may understand the prophets who lived about the time of Hosea and Isaiah; but by the third servant understand the prophets who flourished about the time of Daniel and Ezekiel. It goes on, Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, Perchance they will reverence my son. Or else, He said this not as though He were ignorant of what was to happen, but to show what it was right and fitting that they should do. But those husbandmen said amongst themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. That is, without Jerusalem, for the Lord was crucified out of the city. The Lord of the vineyard then is the Father of the Son who was slain, and the Son Himself is He who was slain, who will destroy those husbandmen, by giving them up to the Romans, and who will give the people to other husbandmen, that is, to the Apostles. Read the Acts of the Apostles, and you will find three thousand, and five thousand on a sudden believing and bearing fruit to God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:10-12
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The stone then which the builders refused, the same has become the head-stone of the corner, that is, of the Church. For the Church is, as it were, the corner, joining together Jews and Gentiles; and this corner has been made by the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes, that is, in the eyes of the faithful; for miracles meet with detraction from the faithless. The Church indeed is wonderful, as it were resting on wonders, for the Lord worked with the Apostles, and confirmed the word with signs. And this is what is meant, when it is said, This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:10-12
Through all this the Lord shows that the Jews are rejected and the Gentiles are accepted. The "stone" is the Lord Himself, and the "builders" are the teachers of the people. Thus, He Whom these teachers rejected has "become the head of the corner," having become the Head of the Church; for the corner signifies the Church, which gathers and unites all—Jews and Gentiles—just as a corner joins two walls, bringing them together in itself. This corner, that is, the Church, is "from the Lord and is marvelous in our eyes," the eyes of the faithful, whereas for the unfaithful even the miracles themselves seem to be falsehood. And so the Church is marvelous, because it is founded upon miracles, "the Lord working with" the apostles "and confirming the word with signs following" (Mk. 16:20). — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:13-17
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] We have said elsewhere of the Herodians, that they were a certain new heresy, who said that Herod was the Christ, because the succession of the kingdom of Judah had failed. Others however say that the Herodians were the soldiers of Herod, whom the Pharisees brought as witnesses of the words of Christ, that they might take Him, and lead Him away. But observe how in their wickedness they wished to deceive Christ by flattery; for it goes on: Master, we know that thou art true. So that thou wilt not honour Cæsar, that is, against the truth; therefore they add, But teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? For their whole plot was one which had a precipice on both sides, so that if He said that it was lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, they might provoke the people against Him, as though He wished to reduce the nation itself to slavery; but if He said, that it was not lawful, they might accuse Him, as though He was stirring up the people against Cæsar; but the Fountain of wisdom escaped their snares. Wherefore there follows: But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. As if He had said, Give what bears an image to him whose image it bears, that is, the penny to Cæsar; for we can both pay Cæsar his tribute, and offer to God what is His own. The inevitable wants of our bodies is as Cæsar unto each of us; the Lord therefore orders that there should be given to the body its own, that is, food and raiment, and to God the things that are God's. It goes on: And they marvelled at him. They who ought to have believed, wondered at such great wisdom, because they had found no place for their craftiness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:13-17
Concerning the Herodians, we have said elsewhere that this was a certain newly-appeared sect of people who called Herod the Christ, for the reason that in his time the succession of Jewish kings came to an end. But others say that the Herodians here refers to the soldiers of Herod, whom the Pharisees brought along so that they might be witnesses of what Christ would say, and then could seize Him and bring Him to trial. But observe their malice, with what flattery they attempt to deceive the Lord! "We know," they say, "that You do not regard the persons of men, and therefore You will not fear even Caesar himself." Yet all this was nothing but cunning, so as to trap Him in any case. For if He had said that one must pay tribute to Caesar, they would have accused Him before the people of enslaving the nation to a foreign yoke; and if He had said that one must not, then they could have accused Him of inciting the people against Caesar. But the Fountain of wisdom evades their snares. "Show Me," He says, "a coin," and seeing upon it the image of Caesar, He said: what bears such an image upon it, render to the one depicted, that is, to Caesar; for we can both pay Caesar his tribute, and offer to God what is His own. That is, the obligation to pay tribute to Caesar in no way hinders you in the matter of worshipping God, for you can both render to Caesar what is due and give to God what is owed. But each of us has a Caesar of his own sort: it is the unavoidable necessity of the body. And so the Lord commands us to give to the body its proper food and needful clothing, and "the things of God to God," that is, vigil to the extent of one's ability, prayer, and the rest. But to the devil as well — to this Caesar too — throw back what was given to you by him, such as anger and evil desire; and to God bring what is God's: humility, temperance in all things, and the rest. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:18-23
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] A certain heretical sect of the Jews called Sadducees denied the resurrection, and said that there was neither angel nor spirit. These then coming to Jesus, craftily proposed to Him a certain tale, in order to show that no resurrection should take place, or had taken place; and therefore there is added, And they asked him, saying, Master. And in this tale they lay down that seven men had married one woman, in order to make men draw back from belief in the resurrection. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:18-23
The Sadducees were such heretics among the Jews who said that there is neither Resurrection, nor Angel, nor Spirit. Being crafty people, they invented such a story in order to overthrow thereby the truth of the Resurrection. They pose a question about something that never happened and could never happen. And that seven husbands took (one after another) one and the same wife — this they invented for greater mockery of the Resurrection. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:24-25
What then does the Lord say? Since they presented the Law of Moses as the basis of their question, He convicts them of ignorance of the Scriptures. You, He says, do not understand what kind of Resurrection is spoken of in Scripture: you think that in the Resurrection the condition of people (in body and in soul) will be the same as now; no, not so: you do not understand the meaning of Scripture, nor do you comprehend the power of God. You evidently pay attention only to the difficulty of the matter, and therefore are perplexed as to how bodies that have decomposed can again be reunited with souls, but for the power of God this means nothing. After the Resurrection, the condition of the risen will not be sensual but God-like, and the manner of life will be angelic. For we shall no longer be subject to corruption, but shall live eternally, and for this reason marriage will then be abolished. Now marriage exists because of mortality, so that, being sustained by the succession of the race, we might not perish. But then, like the Angels, people will exist without the mediation of marriage, will never diminish in number, and will abide forever without decrease. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:24-25
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] As if He had said, Ye understand not what sort of a resurrection the Scriptures announce; for ye believe that there will be a restoration of our bodies, such as they are now, but it shall not be so. Thus then ye know not the Scriptures; neither again do ye know the power of God; for ye consider it as a difficult thing, saying, How can the limbs, which have been scattered, be united together and joined to the soul? But this in respect of the Divine power is as nothing. There follows: For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven; as if He had said, There will be a certain heavenly and angelic restoration to life, when there shall be no more decay, and we shall remain unchanged; and for this reason marriage shall cease. For marriage now exists on account of our decay, that we may be carried on by succession of our race, and not fail; but then we shall be as the Angels, who need no succession by marriage, and never come to an end. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:26-27
In yet another respect the Sadducees show themselves ignorant of the Scriptures. If they understood them, they would have grasped why it was said, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" — which refers to the living. For the Lord did not say "I was," but "I am" their God, as though they are present, not perished. But perhaps someone will say that the Lord said this only about the soul of the patriarchs, and not also about the body, and that from this one cannot conclude anything about the resurrection of bodies. To this I will say that the name Abraham refers not to the soul alone, but to soul and body together, since God is God of the body as well, and it is alive before God and has not passed into non-existence. Furthermore, since the Sadducees disbelieved only in the resurrection of bodies, the Lord also spoke about bodies — that they are alive before God — and not about souls; the latter even the Sadducees acknowledged. Then pay attention also to this: resurrection is the rising up of what has fallen (into the earth, into dust); but it was not the soul that fell (for it is immortal), but the body; therefore it is the body that shall rise again, being reunited with its allied soul. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:26-27
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] In another way also they are deceived, not understanding the Scriptures; for if they had understood them, they should also have understood how by the Scriptures the resurrection of the dead may be proved; wherefore He adds, And as touching the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? But I say, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. As if He had said, The God of the living, wherefore He adds, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for He did not say, I have been, but I am, as if they had been present. But some one perhaps will say, that God spake this only of the soul of Abraham, not of his body; to which I answer, that Abraham implies both, that is, soul and body, so that He also is the God of the body, and the body lives with God, that is, in God's ordinance. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:28-34
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] See how He has enumerated all the powers of the soul; for there is a 1living power in the soul, which He explains, when He says, With all thy soul, and to this belong anger and desire, all of which He will have us give to Divine love. There is also another power, which is called natural, to which belong nutriment and growth, and this also is all to be given to God, for which reason He says, With all thy heart. There is also another power, the rational, which He calls the mind, and that too is to be given whole to God. He says that it is like, because these two commandments are harmonious one with the other, and mutually contain the other. For he who loves God, loves also His creature; but the chief of His creatures is man, wherefore he who loves God ought to love all men. But he who loves his neighbour, who so often offends him, ought much more to love Him, who is ever giving him benefits. And therefore on account of the connection between these commandments, He adds, There is none other commandment greater than these. It goes on: And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. By which He shows that he was not perfect, for He did not say, Thou art within the kingdom of heaven, but, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:28-34
Matthew says that the scribe approached (Christ) "testing" (Matt. 22:35), while Mark notes of him that he "answered wisely." Do the evangelists contradict each other? No; at first he probably asked as one testing, but then he was enlightened by Christ's answer and responded wisely, and thus was praised. However, note that even the praise testifies of him as still imperfect, for Christ did not say: you are in the Kingdom of God itself, but only "not far." Why then does the lawyer so boldly put his question to Christ? He thought to show himself to Christ as one perfect in the Law, and for this reason addresses Him with such speech, as though it concerned only the Law. But the Lord, wishing to show that without love, with hatred toward one's neighbors, there is no fulfillment of the law, answers the lawyer's question that the first and greatest commandment is to love God, and the second, like it, is to love one's neighbor. Why is it like it? Because they are both closely bound together. For he who loves God loves also His creation, and the nearest to God among created things is man; consequently, he who loves God will love all people as well. And conversely, he who loves his neighbor all the more loves God; for if he loves people, who are often the cause of offenses and hatred, all the more does he love God, who always bestows blessings. Hear also the Lord's word: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me" (John 14:21). You see that on love for God depends the fulfillment of His commandments, and all His commandments converge on one thing — mutual love. And in another place (the Lord says): "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Do you see again how by love for one another both love for Christ is sustained and His true disciples and friends are recognized! Pay attention also to how in His answer to the lawyer He enumerated all the powers of the soul. In the soul there is the animal power; He indicates it with the words "with all your soul," for Christ commands that the powers of anger and desire be completely subjected to the love of God. There is also another power of the soul called the vegetative, and otherwise it is called the power of nourishment and growth. This power too must be given over entirely to God. There is, finally, in the soul also the rational power, which the Law called "the mind." Thus, all the powers of the soul must be directed toward love. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:35-37
Since the Lord was about to go to His passion, He corrects the false opinion of the scribes, who thought that Christ is only the Son of David and not the Son of God. Therefore, from the very words of David, He shows that He (Christ) is God; and not simply, but with a warning, He says: "until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." And they (the scribes and Pharisees) were those very enemies whom God the Father made the footstool of Christ's feet. Notice also how He asks the question! So as not to disturb them, He did not say: what do you think about Me, but about Christ. But you cannot say that David spoke this not by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; no, he in the Spirit called Him (Christ) Lord, that is, being moved by the grace of the Holy Spirit. How then can one think that Christ is only the Son of David, and not also his Lord and God? — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:35-37
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Because Christ was coming to His Passion, He corrects a false opinion of the Jews, who said that Christ was the Son of David, not his Lord; wherefore it is said, And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple. But Christ shows Himself to be the Lord, by the words of David. For it goes on: For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand; as if He had said, Ye cannot say that David said this without the grace of the Holy Spirit, but he called Him Lord in the Holy Spirit; and that He is Lord, he shows, by this that is added, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool; for they themselves were His enemies, whom God put under the footstool of Christ. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:38-40
The common people, it is said, heard "Him gladly," and He began to say to the people: beware of the scribes, who wear magnificent garments and on account of them demand honors for themselves; who love to receive greetings and praises in the marketplaces and all other marks of glory; who devour the houses of widows, insinuating themselves to these defenseless women under the guise of being their protectors; who, by hypocritical lengthy prayer, outward piety, and hypocrisy deceiving the inexperienced, devour the houses of the poor. For this they shall receive even more severe condemnation than the other sinning Jews: "the mighty shall be mightily tested" (Wis. 6:6). Speaking thus to the people, the Lord at the same time instructs the apostles as well, so that they would not act after the example of the scribes, but would imitate Him. Since He was appointing them as teachers of the Church, He rightly sets forth for them the rules of life as well. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 12:38-40
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But they used to walk in honourable garments, because they wished to be highly esteemed for it, and in like manner they desired other things, which lead to glory. For it goes on: And love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts. He also especially teaches the Apostles, not to have any communication with the scribes, but to imitate Christ Himself; and in ordaining them to be masters in the duties of life, He places others under them. But the Scribes used to come to women, who were left without the protection of their husbands, as though they were their protectors; and by a pretence of prayer, a reverend exterior and hypocrisy, they used to deceive widows, and thus also devour the houses of the rich. It goes on, These shall receive a greater damnation, that is, than the other Jews, who sinned. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:41-44
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But the Scribes used to come to women, who were left without the protection of their husbands, as though they were their protectors; and by a pretence of prayer, a reverend exterior and hypocrisy, they used to deceive widows, and thus also devour the houses of the rich. It goes on, These shall receive a greater damnation, that is, than the other Jews, who sinned. Now there was a praiseworthy custom amongst the Jews, that those who were able and willing should put something into the treasury, for the maintenance of the priests, the poor, and the widows; wherefore there is added, And many that were rich cast in much. But whilst many people were so engaged, a poor widow came up, and showed her love by offering money according to her ability; wherefore it is said, And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Or else; That widow is the soul of man, which leaving Satan to which it had been joined, casts into the temple two mites, that is, the flesh and the mind, the flesh by abstinence, the mind by humility, that so it may be able to hear that it has cast away all its living, and has consecrated it, leaving nothing for the world of all that it possessed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 12:41-44
Among the Jews there was preserved a particular custom, whereby those who had the means and the desire made contributions to the church treasury, which was called the "gazophylakion," from which the priests, the poor, and widows received their sustenance. While many were doing this, a widow also came forward and showed her zeal to be greater than that of the rich. Glory to Thee, O Christ, that Thou dost accept even what is small as better than what is great! Oh, if only my soul would become a widow, having renounced Satan, with whom it had been united through unseemly deeds, and would resolve to cast into the church treasury "two mites"—the flesh and the mind—having refined them, the flesh through abstinence and the mind through humility, so that I too might hear that I have devoted my whole life to God, having within me neither worldly thoughts nor fleshly impulses! — Commentary on Mark