Marcos 15
Theophylact of Ohrid
Marcos 15:1
The Jews delivered the Lord to the Romans; therefore they themselves were delivered by the Lord into the hands of the Romans. And the words of Scripture were fulfilled: "Woe to the lawless one, for he shall be repaid according to the works of his hands" (Isa. 3:11); and again: "Repay them according to their deeds" (Ps. 28:4); and again: "As you have done, so shall it be done to you" (Obad. 1:15). — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:1
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] They then gave Jesus up to the Romans, but were themselves given up by God into the hands of the Romans, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, which say, Recompense them after the work of their hands. (Ps. 28:5) It goes on: And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:2
To Pilate's question, "Are You the King of the Jews?" the Lord gives an ambiguous answer. For the words "You say so" can be understood thus: you speak the truth — you yourself have declared Who I am; but they can also be understood thus: I do not say this, but you say it. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:2
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For His answer is doubtful, since it may mean, Thou sayest, but I say not so. And observe that He does somewhere answer Pilate, who condemned Him unwillingly, but does not choose to answer the priests and great men, and judges them unworthy of a reply. It goes on: And the Chief Priests accused him of many things. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:4-5
But when asked a second time, Christ answered nothing and thereby brought Pilate to amazement. For Pilate marveled that He, being learned in the law and eloquent and having the ability to overthrow with a single answer the slanders brought against Him, said nothing, but on the contrary, humbly endured the accusations. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:4-5
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But Pilate wondered, because, though He was a teacher of the law, and eloquent, and able by His answer to destroy their accusations, He did not answer any thing, but rather bore their accusations courageously. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:12-14
Notice then the bloodthirstiness of the Jews and the moderation of Pilate (although he too is worthy of condemnation, because he did not firmly stand up for the righteous man). For they cried out, "Crucify Him," while he, though feebly, nevertheless attempted to free Jesus from condemnation. Therefore he asked again, "What shall I do with Jesus?" — trying to give them the opportunity to release the Lord as innocent, which is why he delayed and put it off. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:12-14
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Now see the wickedness of the Jews, and the moderation of Pilate, though he too was worthy of condemnation for not resisting the people. For they cried out, Crucify; he faintly tries to save Jesus from their determined sentence, and again puts a question to them. Wherefore there follows, Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? For he wished in this way to find an opportunity for releasing Christ, who was innocent. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:15
Finally, yielding to their demand, he had the Lord scourged, that is, struck with a leather whip, so that it would appear that they had received Him as one already condemned at the tribunal, and "handed Him over to be crucified." For he wished to do what was pleasing and agreeable to the people, and not what was pleasing to God. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:15
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He wished indeed to satisfy the people, that is, to do their will, not what was agreeable to justice and to God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:16-19
The military class, always finding consolation in acts of violence and insult, now too displayed its customary character. For if the Jews, who had heard so many teachings from Christ and had received from Him so often and so many benefactions, inflicted upon Him so many outrages, then what shall we say of the pagans? So they call together against Him an entire cohort, clothe Him in purple as a king for mockery, and begin to strike Him; they take a crown of thorns instead of a diadem, and a reed instead of a scepter. But let us also clothe ourselves in purple, the royal garment. What I mean is that we must walk as kings, treading upon the serpent and the scorpion and overcoming sin. We are called Christians, that is, anointed ones, just as kings were once called christs. Therefore let our life not be slavish and base, but royal and free. Let us wear the crown of thorns, that is, let us strive to be crowned with a life that is strict, temperate, and free from fleshly pleasures, rather than one that is luxurious, self-indulgent, and given over to sensual enjoyments. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:16-19
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The vainglory of soldiers, ever rejoicing in disorder and in insult, here displayed what properly belonged to them. Wherefore it is said, And the soldiers led him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they call together the whole band, that is, the whole company of the soldiers, and they clothed him with purple as a king. Let us also put on the purple and royal robe, because we must walk as kings treading on serpents and scorpions, and 1 having sin under our feet. For we are called Christians, that is, anointed ones, just as kings were then called anointed. Let us also take upon ourselves the crown of thorns, that is, let us make haste to be crowned with a strict life, with self-denials and purity. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:21
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Now John says that He Himself bare His cross, for both took place; for He first bore the cross Himself, until some one passed, whom they compelled, and who then carried it. But he mentioned the name of his sons, to make it more credible and the affirmation stronger, for the man still lived to relate all that had happened about the cross. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:21
These servants of the devil compelled, as it is said, a certain man to carry His cross; meanwhile, another evangelist says that Jesus went out, bearing the cross Himself (Jn. 19:17). But both things happened: at first He Himself carried the wood of the cross for some time, and when they found another able to carry it, they compelled this latter man, and the cross was borne by him. And why is it also mentioned whose father this man was? For greater confirmation, because that man was probably still alive and could recount everything concerning the cross. Let us also become "Simon," which means obedience, and take up the cross of Jesus, "mortifying our members which are upon the earth" (Col. 3:5). — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:22
There is a tradition that has come down to us from the holy fathers that Adam was buried on Golgotha. Here the Lord is also crucified, He who heals the fall and death of Adam, so that in the same place the destruction of death would follow where death had its beginning. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:23
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, they may have brought different things, in order, some vinegar and gall, and others wine mixed with myrrh. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:23
"They gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink"; but myrrh is the most bitter liquid; this means they gave it to the Lord in mockery of Him. Another evangelist says that the Lord was offered vinegar with gall (Matt. 27:34), and a third, that something else was brought to Him as well. But there is no contradiction in this; amid the lawlessness of that time, some brought one thing, others brought another: one brought vinegar with gall, another brought wine with myrrh. It could also be that the wine was sour and the myrrh was rancid, and consequently the evangelists are in agreement with one another when one of them speaks of wine with myrrh and another of vinegar with gall. For the wine could have been called vinegar, and the myrrh called gall, the first on account of its sourness, the second on account of its bitterness. Likewise, when one says that "they gave Him to drink, but He did not accept it," this does not contradict the other, who says, "and when He had tasted it, He would not drink" (Matt. 27:34). For when it is said "He did not accept it," this already clearly shows that He did not drink. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:24
They also cast lots for His garments in mockery of Him, that is, dividing among themselves what were, as it were, royal garments, when in fact they were poor ones. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:24
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But their casting lots for His garments was also meant as an insult, as though they were dividing the clothes of a king; for they were coarse and of no great value. And John's Gospel shows this more clearly, for the soldiers, though they divided every thing else into four parts, according to their number, cast lots for the coat, which was without seam, woven from the top throughout. (John 19:23) — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:25
But how is it that Mark says Christ was crucified at the third hour, while Matthew says that the darkness occurred at the sixth hour? It may be said that He was crucified at the third hour, and that the darkness began from the sixth hour and lasted until the ninth. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:26
They also wrote the charge for which the Lord was crucified: "The King of the Jews," in order to disgrace His glory, as though He were a seditious man who called Himself a king, so that all who passed by would not only have no pity for Him but, on the contrary, would assail Him as a usurper of royal power. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:26
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] They wrote this superscription, as the reason why He was crucified, thus wishing to reprove His vainglory in making Himself a king, that so the passers by might not pity Him, but rather hate Him as a tyrant. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:27-28
The Lord was also crucified with the robbers so that people would think ill of Him, that He too was an evildoer. But this was by God's dispensation, for on the one hand the prophecy was fulfilled: "He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12), and on the other hand the two robbers were figures of the two peoples — the Jewish and the Gentile. Both of these peoples were lawless — the Gentile, as having transgressed the natural law, and the Jewish, as having transgressed both this law and the written law that God had given them. But the Gentile people proved to be the wise robber, while the Jewish people, on the contrary, remained blasphemers to the end. The Lord is crucified between these two peoples, inasmuch as He is the Cornerstone who unites us in Himself. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:27-28
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] They did this that men might have a bad opinion of Him, as though He also were a robber and a malefactor. But it was done by Providence to fulfil the Scriptures. There follows: And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. Or else; the two robbers were meant to point out the two people, that is, the Jews and the Gentiles, for both were evil, the Gentile as transgressing natural law, but the Jew by breaking the written law, which the Lord had delivered to them; but the Gentile was penitent, the Jew a blasphemer unto the end. Between whom our Lord is crucified, for He is the corner stone, which binds us together. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:29-30
"Those passing by," that is, those passing along the road where the Lord was crucified, even they, says the Evangelist, blasphemed the Lord, reproaching Him as a deceiver. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:29-30
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For the passers by blasphemed Christ, reproaching Him as a seducer. But the devil moved them to bid Him come down from the Cross; for he knew that salvation was being won by the Cross, therefore he again proceeded to tempt Christ, so that if He came down from the Cross, he might be certain that He is not truly the Son of God, and so the salvation, which is by the Cross, might be done away. But He being truly the Son of God, did not come down; for if He ought to have come down, He would not have ascended there at all; but since He saw that in this way salvation must be effected, He underwent the crucifixion, and many other sufferings, unto the finishing of His work. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:31
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Likewise also the Chief Priests mocking said among themselves with the Scribes, He saved others, himself he cannot save. They said this, to do away with His miracles, as though those which He had done were but the semblance of them, for by working miracles He saved many. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:31
Since the Lord, by working miracles, had saved many, the chief priests, like the passersby, also said: He saved others, but He cannot save Himself? They said this mocking His miracles and considering them illusory apparitions. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:32
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or else, both at first reviled Him, then one recognising Him as innocent, rebukes the other for blaspheming Him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:32
But to say "come down from the cross" — the devil was prompting them to this. Since the prince of evil knew that salvation would be accomplished by the cross, he again tempted the Lord, so that if He descended from the cross, it would be confirmed that He was not the Son of God, and thus the salvation of mankind through the cross would be destroyed. But He was the true Son of God, and for this very reason He did not come down from the cross. On the contrary, since He knew that this would be for the salvation of mankind, He resolved both to be crucified and to endure everything else and to accomplish His work. And those crucified with Him at first both reviled Him. Then one of them acknowledged Him as innocent and even admonished the other when that one was blaspheming. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:33
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] If this had been the time for an eclipse, some one might have said that this that happened was natural, but it was the fourteenth moon, when no eclipse can take place. There follows: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:33
The darkness was not in one place, but over all the earth. And if at that time it had been the period of the waning of the moon, then someone might still say that this was a natural eclipse. But now it was the fourteenth day of the month, when a natural eclipse is impossible. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:34
The Lord utters the prophetic saying in Hebrew, showing that He honors the Hebrew language to His last breath. "Why have You forsaken Me?" He says this from the perspective of human nature, as if to say: why have You, O God, forsaken me—mankind—so that I should have need of God being crucified for me? For it was we, human beings, who were forsaken, while He was never forsaken by the Father. Listen to what He Himself says: "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (Jn. 16:32). Or He also speaks on behalf of the Jews, since He Himself was a Jew according to the flesh: "Why have You forsaken Me," that is, the Jewish people, so that they would crucify Your Son? Just as we commonly say "God clothed Himself in me," meaning in human nature, so here too the expression "You have forsaken Me" must be understood as meaning My human nature or My Jewish people. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:34
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, He speaks this as man crucified by God for me, for we men have been forsaken by the Father, but He never has. For hear what He says; I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (John 16:32) Though He may also have said this as being a Jew, according to the flesh, as though He had said, Why hast thou forsaken the Jewish people, so that they have crucified Thy Son? For as we sometimes say, God has put on me, that is, my human nature, so here also we must understand thou hast forsaken me, to mean my nature, or the Jewish people. It goes on: And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:36
"And one ran, filled a sponge with vinegar, and gave it to Him to drink," so that the bitterness of the vinegar might kill Him more quickly. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:37
Jesus gave up His spirit, having cried out with a loud voice, that is, as if summoning death, as the Master who dies by His own authority. And what the cry was, Luke indicated: "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Lk. 23:46). By this the Lord also accomplished for us that the souls of the saints depart into the hands of God. For before, the souls of all were held in Hades, until He came who proclaimed release to the captives. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:37
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He who both rules over death and commands it dies with power, as its Lord. But what this voice was is declared by Luke: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. For Christ would have us understand by this, that from that time the souls of the saints go up into the hands of God. (v. note u, p. 217) For at first the souls of all were held in hell, till He came, who preached the opening of the prison to the captives. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:38
The veil was torn as a sign that the grace of the Spirit had departed from the temple, that the Holy of Holies would become visible and accessible to all, as indeed came to pass when the Romans entered, and that the temple itself mourns. Just as the Jews customarily did in misfortunes and tore their garments, so too the temple, as if animate, showed the same during the sufferings of the Creator, tearing its garment. But something else is signified by this as well. Our flesh is the veil of our temple, that is, of the mind. So then, the power that the flesh had over the spirit was torn by the sufferings of Christ "from top to bottom," that is, from Adam to the last human being. For Adam too was sanctified by the sufferings of Christ, and his flesh is no longer subject to the curse and corruption; on the contrary, we have all been honored with incorruption. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:38
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Again, God by the rending of the veil implied that the grace of the Holy Spirit goes away and is rent from the temple, so that the Holy of holies might be seen by all; also that the temple will mourn amongst the Jews, when they shall deplore their calamities, and rend their clothes. This also is a figure of the living temple, that is, the body of Christ, in whose Passion His garment is torn, that is, His flesh. Again, it means another thing; for the flesh is the veil of our temple, that is, of our mind. But the power of the flesh is torn in the Passion of Christ, from the top to the bottom, that is, from Adam even down to the latest man; for also Adam was made whole by the Passion of Christ, and his flesh does not remain under the curse, nor does it deserve corruption, but we all are gifted with incorruption. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:39
The centurion, that is, the commander over a hundred soldiers, seeing that He died so sovereignly, was amazed and confessed. Notice how the order was reversed! The Jews put Him to death, a pagan confesses; the disciples scatter, the women remain. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:39
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And when the centurion who stood over against him saw. He who commands a hundred soldiers is called a centurion. But seeing that He died with such power as the Lord, he wondered and confessed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:40-41
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And so the order is inverted, for the Jew kills, and the Gentile confesses; the disciples fly, and the women remain. For there follows: There were also women looking on afar off, amongst whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:40-41
"There were," says the Evangelist, "women there as well; among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses," that is, the Theotokos, who was a mother to them. Since She was betrothed to Joseph, and James and Joses were the sons of Joseph, She is called their mother, as a stepmother, just as She was also called the wife of Joseph in the capacity of a bride. There also was Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, and many others. But the Evangelist mentioned only the most important ones. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:42-43
Blessed Joseph, while still serving the Law, recognized Christ as God, which is why he dared to undertake this praiseworthy feat. He did not reason thus: here I am, a wealthy man, and I may lose my wealth if I ask for the body of One Who was condemned for claiming royal power for Himself, and I shall become hateful to the Jews — no, he did not deliberate on anything of the sort within himself, but, setting aside everything as less important, he asked for one thing alone — to commit the body of the Condemned One to burial. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:42-43
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He was bold with a praiseworthy boldness; for he did not consider within himself, I shall fall from my rich estate, and I shall be expelled by the Jews, if I beg for the body of Him, who was condemned as a blasphemer. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:44-45
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] It goes on: And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead. For he thought that He should continue long alive upon the cross, as also the thieves used to live long, upon the instrument of their execution. It goes on: And calling unto him the centurion, he asked him if he had been any while dead; that is, before the time when other executed persons usually died. There follows: And when he knew it of the centurion, (that is, that He was dead,) he gave the body to Joseph. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:44-45
"Pilate marveled that He was already dead," for he thought that Christ would endure suffering for a long time, as the robbers did, which is why he asked the centurion, "Has He been dead long?" That is, could He really have died before the expected time? — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:46
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Burying the precious body preciously; for being a disciple of our Lord, he knew how greatly the Lord's body ought to be honoured. Let us too imitate Joseph, taking to ourselves the body of Christ by Unity, and let us place it in a sepulchre, hewn out of the rock, that is, in a soul recollected, never forgetful of God; for this is a soul hewn out of the rock, that is, out of Christ, for He is our rock, who holds together our strength. We ought also to wrap Him in linen, that is, to receive Him in a pure body; for the linen is the body which is the clothing of the soul. We must, however, not throw open, but wrap Him up; for He is secret, closed and hidden. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 15:46
Having received the body, Joseph bought a linen shroud and, taking the body down, wrapped it in it, honorably committing what is honorable to burial. For he was himself a disciple of Christ and knew how to honor the Master. He was "prominent," that is, a man of honor, pious, and blameless. As for the title of councillor, this was a certain dignity or, rather, a service and civil office, the holders of which had to manage the affairs of the court, and in this they were often exposed to dangers from the abuses characteristic of that position. Let the wealthy and those occupied with public affairs hear how the dignity of councillor in no way hindered the virtue of Joseph. The name "Joseph" means "offering," and "Arimathea" means "take it up." Let us also, following the example of Joseph, always apply zeal to virtue and take it up, that is, the true good. May we be deemed worthy to receive the Body of Jesus through Communion and to lay it in a tomb hewn from rock, that is, in a soul that firmly remembers and does not forget God. May our soul be hewn from rock, that is, having its foundation in Christ, Who is the Rock. May we wrap this Body in a linen shroud, that is, may we receive it in a pure body, for the body is, as it were, the shroud of the soul. The Divine Body must be received not only into a pure soul but also into a pure body. And one must indeed wrap it, that is, cover it and not expose it, for the Mystery must be covered, kept hidden, and not disclosed. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 15:47
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] There follows: And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas