Marcos 3
Theophylact of Ohrid
Marcos 3:1-2
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] After confounding the Jews, who had blamed His disciples, for pulling the ears of corn on the sabbath day, by the example of David, the Lord now further bringing them to the truth, works a miracle on the sabbath; showing that, if it is a pious deed to work miracles on the sabbath for the health of men, it is not wrong to do on the sabbath things necessary for the body: he says therefore, And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath-day; that they might accuse him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:2
On the occasion of the Jews accusing the disciples for plucking ears of grain on the Sabbath, the Lord had already shut the mouths of the accusers with the example of David, and in order to instruct them even more now, He works a miracle, through which He expresses the following: behold how guiltless of sin My disciples are — I Myself also act on the Sabbath day, manifesting this miracle. If working miracles is a sin, then doing anything necessary on the Sabbath is altogether a sin; but to perform a miracle for the salvation of a person is a work of God, and consequently, neither does one who does something not evil on the Sabbath violate the law. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:3
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, he has his right hand withered, who does not the works which belong to the right side; for from the time that our hand is employed in forbidden deeds, from that time it is withered to the working of good. But it will be restored whenever it stands firm in virtue; wherefore Christ saith, Arise, that is, from sin, and stand in the midst; that thus it may stretch itself forth neither too little or too much. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:3
In the figurative sense, the right hand is withered in everyone who does not perform the works of the right side. To such a person Christ says: "Rise up," that is, depart from sin; "stand in the midst," that is, in the midst of the virtues, since every virtue is a mean, inclining neither toward deficiency nor toward excess. So when he stands in this middle, then his hand will again become healthy. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:4
Therefore the Lord also asks the Jews: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good?" — reproaching them for hindering Him from doing good. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:5
Note also the word "was restored"; there was a time when we had our hands, or active powers, healthy — namely, when the transgression had not yet been committed; but from the time our hand reached out for the forbidden fruit, it became withered with respect to the doing of good. But it will again return to its former healthy state when we stand in the midst of the virtues. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:6
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Morally again, the Herodians, that is, persons who love the lusts of the flesh, wish to slay Christ. For the meaning of Herod is, 'of skin.' (pelliceus. v. Hier. de Nom. Hebr) — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:6
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But the soldiers of Herod the king are called Herodians, because a certain new heresy had sprung up, which asserted that Herod was the Christ. For the prophecy of Jacob intimated, that when the princes of Judah failed, then Christ should come; because therefore in the time of Herod none of the Jewish princes remained, and he, an alien, was the sole ruler, some thought that he was the Christ, and set on foot this heresy. These, therefore, were with the Pharisees trying to kill Christ. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:6
Who were the Herodians? Either soldiers of Herod, or some new sect that recognized Herod as the Christ, for the reason that under him the succession of Jewish kings came to an end. The prophecy of Jacob determined that when the princes of Judah would be exhausted, then Christ would come (Gen. 49). And so, since in the times of Herod no one from among the Jews was a prince any longer, but Herod the foreigner ruled (he was an Idumean), some accepted him as Christ and formed a sect. These were the people who wanted to kill the Lord. In a figurative sense, pay attention also to the fact that the Herodians, these carnal and coarse people (Herod means "of leather"), want to kill Jesus. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:7
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] At the same time again, He goes away, that by quitting the ungrateful He might do good to more, for many followed him, and he healed them. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:7
But He departs, since the time of suffering had not yet come. He departs from the ungrateful also in order to benefit a greater number of people. Many indeed followed Him, and He healed them. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:8
Even the Tyrians and Sidonians received benefit, despite being foreigners. Meanwhile His own kinsmen persecuted Him. So there is no benefit in kinship if there is no good character! Here even strangers came to Christ from afar, while the Jews persecuted Him who had come to them. On the contrary, those who went out from their homes and from their fatherland, that is, from the carnal way of life, follow Him; and therefore their wounds are healed, that is, the sins that wound the conscience, and the unclean spirits are driven out. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:8
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Syrians and Sidonians, being foreigners, receive benefit from Christ; but His kindred the Jews persecute Him: thus there is no profit in relationship, if there be not a similarity in goodness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:8
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But those who quit their country, that is, a carnal mode of living, follow Christ, and their plagues are healed, that is, the sins which wound their conscience. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:9
See then how Christ is free from love of glory; so that the crowd would not press around Him, He calls for a boat, in order to be at a distance from the crowd in it. Consider, finally, that Jesus commands His disciples to have a boat ready, so that the crowd would not press upon Him. Jesus is the word within us, commanding that our boat, that is, our body, be ready for Him, and not be given over to the storm of worldly affairs, so that these crowds of worldly cares would not trouble Christ who dwells within us. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Consider then how He hid His glory, for He begs for a little ship, lest the crowd should hurt Him, so that entering into it, He might remain unharmed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But Jesus in us is our reason, which commands that our vessel, that is, our body, should serve Him, lest the troubles of worldly affairs should press upon our reason. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:10
The evangelist calls diseases "plagues," for diseases truly contribute much to our correction, so that God punishes us with these plagues, as a father does his children. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:10
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] As many as had scourges, &c. But he means by scourges, diseases, for God scourges us, as a father does His children. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:13
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Luke, however, says that He went up to pray, for after the showing forth of miracles He prays, teaching us that we should give thanks, when we obtain any thing good, and refer it to Divine grace. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:13
He ascends the mountain in order to pray. Since before this He had been working miracles, after performing the miracles He prays, certainly as a lesson for us, that we should thank God as soon as we do anything good, and ascribe it to the power of God. Or since the Lord was about to ordain the apostles, on this occasion He ascends the mountain for prayer as an instruction to us, that we too, when we intend to ordain someone, must first pray that the one worthy of it be revealed to us and that we not become partakers "in other men's sins" (1 Tim. 5:22). — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:16
The Evangelist lists the names of the apostles on account of the false apostles, so that the true apostles might be known. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:16
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Further, He gives the names of the Apostles, that the true Apostles might be known, so that men might avoid the false. And therefore it continues: And Simon he surnamed Cephas. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:17
He calls the sons of Zebedee Sons of Thunder, as especially great preachers and theologians. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:19
And that He also chooses Judas as an apostle, from this we should understand that God does not reject a person who is going to do evil on account of his future evil deed, but for his present virtue deems him worthy of honor, even if he should afterwards become a wicked man. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:19
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Whom he reckons amongst the Apostles, that we may learn that God does not repel any man for wickedness, which is future, but counts him worthy on account of his present virtue. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:20-21
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] That is, He has a devil and is mad, and therefore they wished to lay hold upon Him, that they might shut Him up as one who had a devil. And even His friends wished to do this, that is, His relations, perchance His countrymen, or His brethren. 1But it was a silly insanity in them, to conceive that the Worker of such great miracles of Divine Wisdom had become mad. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:20-21
"And hearing this," he says, "His relatives" — perhaps people from the same hometown as Him, or even His brothers — "went out to take hold of Him; for they said that He was out of His mind," that is, that He had a demon. Since they heard that He was casting out demons and healing diseases, out of envy they thought that He had a demon and "was out of His mind," which is why they wanted to seize Him, so as to bind Him as one possessed. This is what His relatives thought and intended to do with Him. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:22
Likewise, the scribes from Jerusalem also said that He had a demon in Himself. Since they could not deny the miracles that had been performed before them, they revile them in another way, attributing them to demons. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:23-26
He refutes the hateful Jews with irrefutable examples. How is it possible, he says, for a demon to cast out demons, when even in ordinary houses we see that as long as those living in them are at peace, the houses stand well, but as soon as division occurs in them, they fall? — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:27
How is it possible, he says, for someone to plunder the goods of the strong man, if he does not first bind him? These words mean the following: the "strong man" is the devil; his "goods" are the people who serve as his vessels. Thus, if someone does not first bind and overthrow the devil, how can he plunder his vessels, that is, the demon-possessed? Therefore, if I am plundering his vessels, that is, freeing people from demonic violence, then it follows that I have first bound and overthrown the demons, and I prove to be their enemy. So how then do you say that I have Beelzebul in Me, that is, that I cast out demons while being their friend and a sorcerer? — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:27
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The meaning of the example is this: The devil is the strong man; his goods are the men into whom he is received; unless therefore a man first conquers the devil, how can he deprive him of his goods, that is, of the men whom he has possessed? So also I who spoil his goods, that is, free men from suffering by his possession, first spoil the devils and vanquish them, and am their enemy. How then can ye say that I have Beelzebub, and that being the friend of the devils, I cast them out? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:28
What the Lord says here means the following: people who sin in all other matters can still make some excuse and receive forgiveness, through God's condescension to human weakness. For example, those who called the Lord a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners, will receive forgiveness for this. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:28
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] We must however understand, that they will not obtain pardon unless they repent. But since it was at the flesh of Christ that they were offended, even though they did not repent, some excuse was allowed them, and they obtained some remission. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:29-30
But when they see that He performs undeniable miracles, and yet blaspheme the Holy Spirit, that is, the miraculous works proceeding from the Holy Spirit, then how will they receive forgiveness if they do not repent? When they were scandalized by the flesh of Christ, in that case, even if they did not repent, they will be forgiven as people who were led astray; but when they saw Him performing the works of God and still blasphemed, how will they be forgiven if they remain unrepentant? — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:31-32
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Because the relations of the Lord had come to seize upon Him, as if beside Himself, His mother, urged by the sympathy of her love, came to Him; wherefore it is said, And there came unto him his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:31-32
The brothers of the Lord came out of envy to seize Him, as one who was mad and possessed. And His Mother probably came out of a sense of honor to draw Him away from teaching, thus showing the people that she had authority over Him whom they admired and could draw Him away from teaching. — Commentary on Mark
Marcos 3:33-35
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He does not therefore say this, as denying His mother, but as showing that He is worthy of honour, not only because she bore Christ, but on account of her possessing every other virtue. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Marcos 3:33-35
But the Lord answers: It will be of no benefit to My Mother to be My Mother if She does not possess all the virtues within Herself. Likewise, kinship will be of no benefit to My brothers. For only those are true relatives of Christ who do the will of God. So in saying this, He does not disown His Mother, but shows that She will be worthy of honor not merely for giving birth alone, but also for every other good deed: for if She did not have this, others would have seized the honor of kinship before Her. — Commentary on Mark