The Gospel according to Saint Mark, commented on verse by verse

CHAPTER 9

9, 2-8. Parallel. Matt. 17, 1-8; Luke 9:28-36.

Mc9.¹ He added, «Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.» — he added. As we saw earlier (cf. Mark 7:9, 20), this formula usually announces a pause and a transition in the second Gospel. From the coming he has just announced, but which will only take place at the end of time, the Savior suddenly moves to a coming of another kind, which many of those to whom he was then speaking were to witness with their own eyes. He describes it in a rather enigmatic way: the kingdom of God come with power. The kingdom of God manifested with power: what does this mean? Let us, with St. Matthew, replace the abstract with the concrete, "the Son of Man coming in his kingdom," and the thought will already seem clearer. Where now can we find this, in a period close enough to justify the assertion? some of those who are here, a shining manifestation of Jesus as Messianic King? We answer, for the reasons set out in our commentary on Matthew 16:28, that the ruin of Jerusalem and the Jewish state seems to be the only thing that meets the conditions set by Our Lord himself, and that it is undoubtedly this that the divine Prophet had in mind when he uttered these grave words.

Mc9.² Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. On the purpose and motive of the Transfiguration, see the Gospel according to St. Matthew, Matthew 17:1. Six days later The events recounted last, Mark 8:27-39. Everything suggests that Jesus and his followers spent this time in the vicinity of Caesarea: nothing in the sacred narrative indicates a change of location. Jesus took Peter with him…Not wanting, in his mysterious designs, to have all the Apostles witness his momentary triumph, the Savior at least takes with him «the three summits of the Sacred College» (Theophylact), Peter, the future Head of the Church, and the two sons of Thunder. And led them. In Greek, literally, it means "he leads them upwards," a word which seems to indicate, in conjunction with the adjective high, a long and arduous climb. A high mountain. Was it Mount Tabor? Was it Mount Hermon? In our commentary on Matthew 17:1, we discussed the arguments for and against each of these mountains, and we decided in favor of Hermon. This may even have been the opinion of Eusebius of Caesarea [In Psalm. 88]. Traditional belief led the Greeks to give the name θαδώριον (Thaborium) to the feast of the Transfiguration. He was transfigured. The Fathers and theologians clearly defined the meaning of this expression, which, according to the literal meaning of the Greek, would seem to indicate a kind of metamorphosis. «No one thinks that he had lost his former appearance. The substance is not removed, but it is changed into glory» [Saint Jerome of Stridon, in Matthew, 17]. «He was transfigured not by a change of the members, but by the impregnation of glory» [Thomas Cajetan, Evangelia cum Commentariis, Marci, h. l.].

Mc9.³ His clothes became dazzling, as white as snow, and such a whiteness that no launderer on earth could achieve. — To the divine radiance of the Savior's countenance was added that of his garments, which became resplendent. To give his readers an idea of this marvelous whiteness, St. Mark uses two comparisons of his own. — The second comparison, such as no launderer…, is borrowed from human art, just as the previous one had been borrowed from nature, from the sparkling snow that whitened the summit of Hermon. Certainly, since antiquity, human ingenuity, which progresses so rapidly whenever it comes to enhancing material well-being, had reached great heights in the respect to which St. Mark alludes. The candidates in white togas from Rome and Athens wore togas of dazzling whiteness. And yet, this was nothing compared to the celestial splendor that had suddenly enveloped Jesus' entire exterior.

Mc9.⁴ Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them, talking with Jesus. — The two heroes of the Jewish theocracy come to greet, in this glorious moment, the Lawgiver and the Prophet of the New Law, thus demonstrating the covenant that exists between the two Testaments. It was doubtless through a kind of supernatural intuition that the three Apostles recognized them immediately. — Conversing with Jesus. This construction seems to indicate that the meeting lasted for some time. St. Luke reveals its surprising purpose to us in Luke 9:31.

Mc9.⁵ Peter, speaking up, said to Jesus, «Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.» — It was Saint Peter, lively, ardent, and holy as ever, who first thought of speaking. Master. While the other two Synoptic Gospels use the Greek equivalent of this title, St. Mark quotes the Hebrew word, רבי, in his own way. Its etymology and history can be found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 23:7. It is good for us… «Peter witnessed this spectacle, and, experiencing human things as humans do, said, «Lord, it is good for us to be here.» He was weary of living among the crowd; he had found solitude on a mountain where Christ nourished his soul. Why descend from it to rush into labors and sorrows, since he felt a holy love for God and consequently holy morals? He was seeking his own good; so he added, «If you wish, let us put up three tents here.»”Saint Augustine [of Hippo, Sermon 78.] Bede the Venerable makes a beautiful comparison here: "If the transfigured humanity of Christ and the company of two saints, glimpsed for a moment, delight them to the point of no longer wanting to leave... and to settle there permanently, in the case of Peter, what will be the happiness caused by the perpetual vision of the deity, among the choirs of angels?" It will be even better in heaven than on Tabor or Hermon.

Mc9.⁶ He didn't know what he was saying, terror had seized them. — He didn't know… St. Mark, along with St. Luke, points out this interesting detail. St. Peter forgot that it is not possible to prolong such moments indefinitely here below, that this life must be dedicated to struggle and not to mere pleasure. His ecstasy had transported him to sublime realms where he no longer considered the conditions of his present existence. «For, having a spiritual constitution, especially when he contemplates the glory of God… man must separate himself from the senses, that is to say, be overshadowed by divine power» [Tertullian, Against Marcion, 4, 22]. Terror had seized them. This second detail is unique to our Evangelist. It is a fact of great psychological truth, although, at first glance, it seems contradicted by what precedes it. But the paradox is only apparent. Supernatural joy and religious awe coexist quite comfortably. Saint Peter and his two companions, though so happy on the holy mountain, could simultaneously be gripped by a feeling of intense terror in the face of the divine that enveloped them. It was both happiness and fear that had overwhelmed them. The Greek verb means "to be terrified" and is very forceful.

Mc9.⁷ And a cloud covered them with its shadow, and from the cloud came a voice: «This is my beloved Son; listen to him.» — A cloud covered them…Such was the answer given to Saint Peter; a truly divine tent, consisting of a luminous cloud [Cf. Matt. 18:4], suddenly enveloped Jesus and his two interlocutors. Then, God the Father, who concealed the radiance of his holy presence beneath this veil, uttered solemn words, by which he greeted Our Lord as his beloved Son, This is my beloved son, And He established Him as the sovereign Lawgiver of the New Covenant, «Listen to Him.» It is to Him and Him alone that we must now obey. The Mosaic Law has run its course: The One it foreshadowed has arrived. The Prophets, represented by Elijah, have run their course: The One they announced has appeared. «The Father thus entrusts to the Son new disciples, showing them with Him Moses and Elijah rewarded with glory, and having consequently completed their earthly mission, as if they were already comparable to them in vocation and honor» [Tertullian, loc. cit.]. It is therefore Christ, the Son of God, whom we must listen to exclusively and forever.

Mc9.⁸ Immediately, looking all around, they saw no one except Jesus, alone with them. — See in Matthew 17:6-7, some graphic details omitted by Mark. The adverb right away (or suddenly) suggests that the Theophany lasted only a few moments. When, no longer hearing the voice and growing bolder, the three Apostles cast a furtive glance around them, they saw only Jesus beside them on the mountain, with his usual appearance and clothing; the Transfiguration was over. — See in Rohault de Fleury [The Gospel: Iconographic and Archaeological Studies, vol. 2, pp. 68 ff.], some interesting notes on this mystery considered in its relation to ancient art.

Mark 9:9-12. Parallel. Matt. 17, 9-13.

Mc9.⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. — As they descended. The conversation that the Savior had with the three privileged disciples, immediately after his Transfiguration, comprises two main points. Jesus began by enjoining the witnesses of the mystery to keep the deepest silence about what they had seen and heard, vv. 8 and 9; he then answered a question they addressed to him concerning the coming of Elijah, vv. 10-12. — 1. Silence. Don't tell anyone…To absolutely no one, not even to the other Apostles whom they would soon join at the foot of the mountain. The prohibition was to last as long as Our Lord's mortal life. Only his resurrection from the dead could break the seal placed on the lips of Peter, James, and John. This order is not surprising, given the similar prohibitions that Jesus had frequently issued since the beginning of his public ministry. Or rather, this time it had a very particular reason: «For the more great things they told about him, the harder it would become for most people to believe in him, and the greater the scandal of the cross.» Victor of Antioch. 

Mc9.¹⁰ And they kept it to themselves, wondering among themselves what the phrase "to be raised from the dead" meant.« — They kept the matter to themselves. In Greek, literally: they held fast to this word. Does this mean that they faithfully obeyed their Master's command? Or, according to another interpretation, that they were deeply moved by the last words spoken by the Savior, and that they made them the subject of their reflections? This second meaning seems to us more in keeping with the context. Wondering to themselves, The three Apostles were therefore discussing among themselves the meaning of resurrected from the dead. St. Mark alone noted the kind of perplexity into which Jesus' friends were plunged by this saying of the Savior. No doubt they were aware of what it was the resurrection in general, since it was part of the symbol of faith among Jews as well as among Christians ; but the Resurrection The personal story of Jesus troubled them. Indeed, to be resurrected one must die; but the death of their Master was contrary to their old prejudices.

Mc9.¹¹ They questioned him and said, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"« — 2. The coming of Elijah. If the disciples did not dare question Jesus about the mystery, so obscure to them, of his Resurrection, they at least presented him with a difficulty that the recent appearance of Elijah had raised in their minds. Perhaps they imagined that the two points were intimately connected, and that by eliciting explanations about one, they would simultaneously shed light on the other. Elijah must come. «Before,» that is, before the Messiah, as a Forerunner, as announced by the prophet Malachi, 4:5. On this return of Elijah, which has always greatly interested the Jews, to such an extent that wanting to cite all the rabbinic passages where it is mentioned would be an infinite task, see St. Matthew, 17:10.

Mc9.¹² He answered them, «Elijah must come first and restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be despised? ¹³ But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.» The Savior's answer is expressed somewhat obscurely in the second Gospel. The clearer wording of St. Matthew removes all difficulty. One point is clear: Elijah will come first, and, once he returns to this earth from which he so mysteriously disappeared, he will prepare humanity to receive the Messiah. First of all represents the time of the second coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ; will restore, the work of Elijah to bring the Jews to the true faith. Thus, Jesus agrees with the Scribes; only, he explains and corrects their statement by applying to the end times what they expected to see soon fulfilled [Theophylact, h. l.]. According to what is written about him…It is here that the thought becomes enigmatic, due to the somewhat cumbersome and convoluted construction of the sentence. Just as it is written of the Son of Man that he will suffer greatly and be despised (in Greek, literally, «reduced to nothing»), so I tell you that Elijah has come… as it is written of him. To the future appearance of the true Elijah, Jesus contrasts the already past arrival of the figurative Elijah, John the Baptist; to the sufferings endured by his Forerunner, he draws a parallel with his own sufferings. On both sides, he points to the will of God, expressed in the Holy Scriptures, hovering above human destinies. In this way, there is a link that unites all the parts of the sentence, a counterweight that supports them, and the obscurity is diminished. Furthermore, this brings us closer to the text of St. Matthew 17:12: «I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. This is how the Son of Man must suffer at their hands.» They treated him as they wished… Jesus was referring to the persecutions endured by St. John [Cf. Mark 6:17 ff.]. The prophet Elijah had suffered no less [Cf. 1 Kings 19].

Mark 9, 13-28. Parallel. Matt. 17, 14-20; Luke 9:37-44.

Mc9.¹⁴ Having returned to his disciples, he saw a large crowd around them and scribes who were discussing with them. — Having returned to his disciples…At the foot of Mount Hermon, a scene quite different from that of the Transfiguration awaited Jesus and his disciples. The three Synoptic Gospels unanimously compare it to the glorious mystery we have just studied; but it is undoubtedly St. Mark who described it most fully. He surpasses himself in the level of picturesque detail. Raphael, in a sense, only had to copy him to produce the masterpiece we mentioned in our commentary on St. Matthew 17:14. — From the very first words, the situation is admirably depicted: we see the nine Apostles, timid and embarrassed; around them, a large crowd who takes sides for them or against them; then scribes who were discussing with them (with the disciples). The context will reveal the subject of the dispute. The disciples had been unable to heal a possessed youth who had been brought to them in their Master's absence. This failure had filled the Scribes who had witnessed it with malicious glee: seizing this unique opportunity, they had attacked not only the powerless Apostles, but also Jesus himself, before the entire assembly, as if the soldiers' defeat had proven the general wrong. But then, suddenly, the Savior appeared at some distance, to avenge his attacked honor.

Mc9.¹⁵ The whole crowd was surprised to see Jesus and immediately ran to greet him. — A new scene, unique to St. Mark and drawn with a masterful hand. But are not the various features that compose it contradictory? The crowd sees Jesus, they are afraid, and yet they rush to greet him. The fear must have been great; the Greek text has only one verb; it is true that it is an expression of great force, denoting extreme terror (it has been noted that St. Mark alone uses it in his Gospel). Why, in the first place, were the people, upon seeing Jesus, seized with such violent fear? «Some say that his face retained a reflection of the Transfiguration,» wrote Theophylact. Corneille de Lapierre is more categorical, and does not hesitate to accept what his Greek predecessor dared only offer as a tentative statement: "Because they saw rays of light on the face of Jesus, who had just been transfigured, just as rays and a crown of light remained on the face of Moses after his communion with God." Yes, this is precisely what must have frightened the people when they recognized Jesus: traces of the divine glory that had recently illuminated him still remained on the Savior's face, and it was this extraordinary, imposing reflection that inspired a supernatural fear in the crowd. But, in the presence of Jesus, the feeling of fear could not last long: his divine charms, his goodness, quickly overcame every other impression. So we soon see the crowd rushing to meet him and greeting him with amiable familiarity, delighted that he arrived so opportunely to extricate his people from their predicament. The paradox is thus clarified.

Mc9.¹⁶ He asked them, "What are you discussing with them?"« — He asked them. The Greek literally means: he questioned the Scribes. Jesus would have addressed the entire assembly in general. According to the "textus receptus," he would have taken the Scribes to task, showing them that it was no longer with his disciples, but with him, that they had to discuss.

Mc9.¹⁷ A man from the crowd answered him, "Master, I have brought you my son, who is possessed by a mute spirit. While everyone else remained silent, a man stepped forward from the crowd and approached Jesus. Matthew 17:14 vividly describes the pathos of his attitude and prayer: «A man came to him and knelt before him, saying, »Lord, have mercy on my son.’” I brought you. This poor father had at least come with the intention of presenting his son to the Savior; but, not having found the divine Wonderworker, he had resorted to his disciples. Possessed with a mute spirit. A very oriental expression, to say that the child was in the power of a demon who made him deaf (v. 24) and mute.

Mc9.¹⁸ Wherever the spirit seizes him, it throws him to the ground, and the child foams at the mouth and gnashes his teeth and withers away. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not. — wherever he takes hold of him…Although the possession was habitual, it nevertheless presented strange alternations of relative calm and horrible fits. These fits are vividly described by our Evangelist. He throws it to the ground. The Greek verb denotes violent convulsions; its original meaning is "to tear apart." However, it also means "to overthrow, to overthrow" [408]. — The following two features: He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, They also denote terrible paroxysms. And stiffened. The crises ended in a state of complete prostration, during which the limbs of the demonic person became as stiff as iron.

Mc9.¹⁹ »O unbelieving generation,” Jesus said to them, “how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me.” — O incredulous generation. It was to the entire assembly—that is, to the Father, the crowd, the scribes, and even, to a certain extent, to the disciples—that Jesus addressed this reproach. See the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 17:16. How long will I suffer you? The greatest pain that Jesus experienced on earth seems to have been that which came from the unbelief of men: just as the most vivid joys of his Heart seem to have been caused by the faith of true believers.

Mc9.²⁰ They brought him to her. At the sight of him, the spirit suddenly agitated the child violently; he fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. — When, at the Savior's command, the child was approached, the demon manifested his rage in a supreme outburst, which the Thaumaturge tolerated for a few moments, in order to better reveal the divine power at work within him. — It is rather difficult to determine the subject of the verb "to see." Was it Jesus who looked at the child, and who thus made the demon tremble? Was it the child who looked at Jesus, and who, closely united with the evil spirit, communicated to him the impression of fear with which he had immediately been seized? The Greek expression is just as ambiguous. The second sentiment seems more natural to us. — The Greek verb translated here by violently It means more like "to tear apart, to smash to pieces." The child was then seized by convulsions and spasms. He rolled around, foaming at the mouth.… A painfully picturesque trait.

Mc9.²¹ Jesus asked the child's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "Since he was a child," he replied. ²² Often the spirit has thrown him into the fire and into the water to make him perish; if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.» — Jesus asked the child's father. However, Jesus, filled with divine calm, engages in a touching dialogue with the father of the young demoniac (vv. 20-23), which only St. Mark has preserved for us. How much time is there?…Like a doctor in a similar case, Our Lord inquired (certainly not for himself, but for those present) about the duration of this terrible illness. Since his childhood, "Yes," replied the father, indicating that the illness, as well as its cause, was quite chronic. Then, in a perfectly natural move, to further elicit Jesus' pity, he added a few details about his poor child's unfortunate condition: the mind has often cast it… Cf. v. 17. — To kill him. Such, in the supplicant's mind, was the demon's aim in thus mistreating his son: he wanted to kill him. But, if you can do anything…One can almost hear, in reading these words, the tone of distress with which they must have been spoken. But why doesn't the father exclaim like the centurion: "Just say the word, and my son will be healed"? Indeed, such a restriction, "If you can do anything," expresses a wavering faith. The father believed to some extent in the power of Jesus, since he had brought his son to him; but his faith, already imperfect in itself, had become even weaker after the Apostles' futile efforts to cast out the demon. Have pity on us. Just as with the Canaanite woman of old, Matthew 15:25, the father takes on the infirmity of his child.

Mc9.²³ Jesus said to him, «If you can? All things are possible to him who believes.» Jesus seized upon the supplicant's troubling remark and used it with as much skill as kindness to rekindle in that desolate heart the faith without which the miracle would not have occurred. The question was thus brought back to its true perspective: it was not a matter of the Thaumaturge's power, about which the slightest doubt was permissible, but of the faith of whoever sought his help.

Mc9.²⁴ Immediately the child's father cried out, saying with tears, "I believe! Come to the aid of my unbelief!"« The description is becoming increasingly pathetic. The child's father immediately cried out. The Savior's word had an instantaneous effect. Going straight to the Father's heart, it gave birth to a great faith, or at least a great desire for faith. I believe, Lord. I already believe, I have a strong will to believe, and yet, come to the aid of my lack of faith, Because I feel my faith is not yet strong enough. He calls unbelief what he understands to be only the beginning of faith, a faith destined to grow. A beautiful prayer, reminiscent of that of the disciples: "Lord, increase our faith.".

Mc9.²⁵ When Jesus saw the crowds running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying, «You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.» — Jesus, seeing the crowds running towards him. In Greek, the doubly compound verb indicates growing crowds that join those already surrounding Our Lord (v. 13). The Savior hastens to perform the miracle to escape all these curious onlookers (cf. Mark 7:33; 8:23, and the corresponding notes). Deaf and mute spirit. That is to say, a spirit that renders one deaf and mute. I'll order it for you. There is a visible emphasis in this "I" placed at the beginning of the sentence: Me, whom you will not resist as you resist my disciples. The order is majestic, worthy of the Messiah. And no longer enters him. It is a perpetual healing that the Lord performs: he forever forbids the demon from entering this body which he had so long regarded as his property.

Mc9.²⁶ Then, giving a loud cry and shaking him violently, he came out, and the child became like a corpse, to the point that many said, "He is dead."« ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he stood up. — Shouting and waving it violently…What an abundance of vivid and interesting details throughout the narrative! Saint Peter had seen everything, remembered everything, and recounted everything to his disciple. — The demon, compelled to obey Jesus' voice, launches this final attack as he withdraws. He convulses his victim one last time and lays him as if dead at Jesus' feet. All in vain. Our Lord has only one gesture to make, having taken him by the hand, lifted him up, and the infirm man recovers his senses and full possession of his entire being. — It is perhaps to this marvelous cure that Lucian makes an ironic allusion when he writes in his Philopseudes, 16: «Everyone knows that there is a Syrian from Palestine who knows all these things; all those whom he takes in his hands, those who fall to the ground in the moonlight, who roll their eyes and whose mouths are full of foam, he nevertheless restores, and he sends them away, their senses and understanding restored, after having freed them from these horrors for a large fee. When he approaches those who lie on the ground, and asks them where those who have entered their bodies come from, the sick man remains silent, but the demon answers, in Greek or in another language, and indicates where he comes from and how he entered the man.».

Mc9.²⁸ When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not drive out the spirit?"« — When Jesus had entered the house. A detail specific to St. Mark. The Apostles' question to the divine Master was therefore posed "in private," as St. Matthew says. Why couldn't we They had not exceeded their mandate, since Jesus had given them some time before, Mark 6, 7, "power over unclean spirits": what could be the secret cause of their recent defeat?

Mc9.²⁹ He told them, "This kind of demon can only be driven out by prayer and fasting."« — Our Evangelist gives only the substance of the Savior's response. See Matthew 17:19-20 and the commentary. It was only after telling his disciples that their powerlessness stemmed from the imperfection of their faith, and after revealing to them by a striking example the incomparable power of steadfast faith, that Jesus added: This sort of demon, That is to say, according to common opinion, the particular class in the infernal hierarchy to which the demon expelled by Our Lord belonged. He was one of "the worst and most determined demons." Tirin. Through prayer and fasting. Through fasting, the flesh is subjected to the spirit; through prayer, the spirit is subjected to God, and in this way, man becomes, so to speak, an angel, superior to the flesh and to the demon (Thought of Eusebius of Emesa). But to pray, as to mortify one's flesh, one must have a living faith. Let the priest, therefore, have this faith, let him reduce his body to servitude, let him be a man of prayer, and he will be stronger than all the demons he laments seeing ravage his flock.

Mark 9:29-31. Parallel. Matt. 17, 21-22; Luke 9:44-45.

Mc9.³⁰ Having left there, they traveled through Galilee, and Jesus did not want anyone to know about it., — They crossed Galilee. The Greek text here employs a delicate expression, which would seem to indicate a clandestine journey along secluded paths, as if Jesus wished, during this trip, to remain alone with his closest disciples in order to freely complete their apostolic formation. Moreover, the following words, he wanted no one to know, clearly show that the Savior carefully avoided any participation from the crowd, cf. Mark 7, 14. These two features are found only in the second Gospel.

Mc9.³¹ For he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, «The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and on the third day after his death he will rise again.» — He was instructing them… and telling them. From this emphatic repetition and the use of the imperfect tense, we can conclude that Jesus frequently returned, during this period of his life, to the serious subject of his Passion and death. The Son of Man will be betrayed. 

Mc9.³² But they did not understand this statement and they were afraid to question him. — They did, however, understand in a certain way, since, according to St. Matthew 17:22, the first effect of this new prediction was to deeply sadden them. What they did not know was the manner, the cause, and the purpose of the Messiah's sufferings. Blinded by their false Christological ideas, they did not see why Jesus had to die before establishing his kingdom [Cf. the Venerable Bede and Luke of Bruges, 11]. They were afraid to question him. On the one hand, they feared having too many details about such painful events; on the other hand, remembering the reproaches Saint Peter had received for an unfortunate remark on the same subject (cf. Mark 8:31-33), they perhaps also feared grieving their Master by questioning him. This verse contains a beautiful psychological analysis of the Apostles' feelings.

Mark 9, 32-36. Parallel. Matt. 18, 1-5; Luke 9:46-48.

Mc9.³³ They arrived at Capernaum. When he was in the house, Jesus asked them, «What were you talking about on the road?» — in Capernaum. St. Mark makes no mention of the miracle of the didrachma, which took place immediately after Jesus' return to that city. Cf. Matthew 17:24-27. He immediately shows us the Savior and his Apostles withdrawing to their house in Capernaum. Suddenly, Our Lord addresses this unexpected question to the Twelve: What were you discussing on the way? He had left them alone for part of the journey, walking ahead, completely united with his divine Father. Now they must tell him about the noisy argument that had arisen between them at one point. — On the slight discrepancy that exists here between the accounts of the first two Evangelists, see the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 18:1.

Mc9.³⁴ But they remained silent, for on the way they had discussed among themselves who was the greatest. — They remained silent. This single word paints a complete picture, where we see, in the foreground, the Apostles confused and embarrassed. Because, on the way…Narrator's note, which contains the reason for the Twelve's silence. It is not surprising that they had nothing to say to their Master: how could they have dared to admit to him that the discussion had revolved around a point of pride and ambition? Which of us, they had asked themselves, has a right to the first place in the messianic kingdom?

Mc9.³⁵ Then he sat down, called the Twelve together and said to them, «If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last of all, and the servant of all.» — Having sat down. A graphic feature. Moreover, this verse and the following one contain a great many, several of which are unique to St. Mark. Jesus sits down, calls the Twelve to him, takes a small child by the hand, places him in the middle of the group formed by the Apostles, then gently embraces him. A graceful and touching scene. If anyone wants… «The Lord is concerned with healing the desire for glory through the’humility »"Bede. The first words of the divine Master state a great principle, which immediately answers the question the disciples had been asking themselves. What depth in this thought! But at the same time, what a paradox! True greatness consists in the..."’humility ; It is by humbling oneself below others that one rises to the top ranks. This is the opposite of worldly, carnal beliefs; but wasn't Jesus' mission to fight against the world?

Mc9.³⁶ Then, taking a little child, he placed him in their midst and after kissing him, he said to them: To make the lesson stronger and more persuasive, the Savior resorts to actions, as is his custom. See in the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 18:2, the different opinions expressed concerning this fortunate little child who received the Lord's caresses. After kissing him. The Greek verb is expressive and is found only here and in Mark 10:16. It properly means "to carry in one's arms".

Mc9.³⁷ «Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.» — Matthew 18:3-5 presents a more complete account of Jesus' thoughts. Mark, in his usual style, uses more concise language to emphasize the facts. A child like this one. By these words, the Savior showed that he wanted to speak not only literally, but also figuratively; that is to say, independently of little children, he was also and especially thinking of the simple souls of whom they are the emblem. And who… A sublime gradation, which promises friends of children and the humble the most perfect reward imaginable. «See what the’humility, "For it deserves the indwelling of the Father, the Son, and even the Holy Spirit." Theophylact. Cf. Matthew 10:40 and the commentary.

Mark 9, 37-40. Parallel. Luke 9:49-50.

Mc9.³⁸ John, speaking up, said to him: «Master, we saw a man who does not go with us, driving out demons in your name, and we stopped him. — The words "in my name," which the Savior had just uttered, seem to have reminded St. John of an extraordinary incident that had probably occurred during one of the last journeys, and about which he wished to question his Master. Interrupting him informally, he therefore spoke to explain his case of conscience. We saw a man, An ordinary man, just anyone, who had received no special mission from Jesus. Who hunts demons?. This man thus performed a miracle that seemed to be a privilege reserved for the Apostles. This is a fact of great importance; it suggests that the influence of Our Lord Jesus Christ had reached enormous proportions, since men who were not among his proper disciples had begun, of their own accord, to exorcise demons using his sacred name. And he doesn't follow us. "We," not "you." The exorcist was not an Apostle: St. John has no other blame to offer him. We prevented him from doing so.. — What are we to make of this conduct of the Apostles? It is clear that it troubled the delicate soul of St. John. Did it stem from a feeling of envy or selfishness, as has been so often repeated in our time? We find it hard to believe. We prefer, with St. John Chrysostom and other ancient exegetes, to attribute it to the zeal with which they were animated toward their Master, to the fear they felt of seeing his name profaned by disreputable people. It is true that this zeal was somewhat exaggerated, as Jesus will demonstrate to them.

Mc9.³⁹ "Do not stop him," said Jesus, "for no one can perform a miracle in my name and then immediately speak ill of me.". — Don't stop him. He, and all those who might act like him in complete good faith. When Moses was told that several Hebrews had begun to prophesy, far from yielding to the entreaties of Joshua who was saying to him, «Moses, my teacher, stop them!» he cried out on the contrary, «Are you jealous for my sake? Oh, that the Lord would make all his people prophets!» Numbers 11:27-29. Jesus gives a similar lesson to his disciples. He bases his answer on three reasons. First reason: Because there is no one who…Whoever uses his divine name to perform wonders cannot be hostile toward him: he is, at heart, a disciple and a friend. Before judging and condemning such a man's conduct, it is right to wait some time, for the evidence is in his favor. — The one St. John spoke of only cast out demons. Jesus, extending the thought, applies the case to all kinds of miracles: after performing a miracle. — May he immediately afterwards speak ill of me It is impossible to immediately after performing a miracle in the name of Jesus, to then slander or blaspheme him. That would be to be both friend and enemy.

Mc9.⁴⁰ He who is not against us is for us. — Second reason: neutrality is not possible with regard to Jesus. The man in question had proven that he was not opposed to the Savior, therefore he was favorable to him. Why would he be rejected? Against us… for us— St. Matthew places on the lips of the Savior, but on another occasion, Matthew 12:30 (see the commentary), a saying which seems, at first glance, to be in complete opposition to this one. Nevertheless, the contradiction is only apparent. “It is known,” Dom Calmet aptly states, “that these kinds of popular proverbs can be applied to different subjects, and are susceptible to different meanings depending on the circumstances in which they are used” [Cf. Saint Augustine of Hippo, From Consensu Evangelistarum, l. 4, c. v.].

Mc9.⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward. — Third reason for tolerance, in the form of an "a fortiori" argument. If the smallest service rendered in the name of Jesus Christ, for example, a glass of water given to a thirsty missionary, proves that one loves the divine Master and, as such, deserves a reward, all the more so does the act of producing great things through virtue and in honor of this sacred name. Cf. Matthew 10:42. Because you belong to Christ.This is the only place in the Gospels where Christians be designated as such.

Mk 9, 41-49. Parallel. Mth. 18, 6-9; Luke 17:1-2.

Mc9.⁴² And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.  — Jesus has just promised the most magnificent rewards, vv. 36 and 40, to anyone who shows kindness to the little children of his kingdom; in contrast, he now threatens with the most terrible punishments all those who would lead them to evil. Scandalized. The Greek verb σκανδαλὶζω, from which the corresponding Latin expression "scandalizo" was modeled, is completely unknown to the classics. Greek translators of the Old Testament used it only very rarely; it is therefore found primarily in the writings of the New Testament, from where it passed into Christian language. Its probable root is σκάζω, "to falter, to be unsteady." It designates anything that can be for a soul an occasion of stumbling and spiritual ruin. One of those little ones who believe in me. Emphatic words, conveying the main idea. These "little ones" believe in Jesus: the faith they have in Him elevates them, imparts to them an invaluable worth, because it establishes the most intimate communion between them and Him. To scandalize them is therefore a grave crime, which will be severely punished. Let one of those millstones be placed around his neck. On this torture see the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 18, 6. Millstone, millstone. — We never read that Christ, when he condemned other sins, used, to strengthen and elaborate his discourse, formulas as vehement and terrible, sentences as drastic as in this passage, when he sought to demonstrate the gravity of those who sin by scandalizing others.

Mc9.⁴³ If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off: it is better for you to enter life maimed than to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, with two hands. ⁴⁴ where their worm does not die and where the fire does not go out. ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off: it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell of unquenchable fire. ⁴⁶ where their worm does not die and where the fire does not go out. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell., ⁴⁸ where their worm does not die and where the fire does not go out.  — «After teaching above (v. 42) that we must not cause those who believe in his name to stumble, the Lord tells us here how carefully we must avoid those who strive to cause us to stumble.» These lines from Bede the Venerable clearly mark the connection between the two verses. — The three organs mentioned by the Savior—the hand, the foot, and the eye—represent, according to the correct interpretation of the Fathers, the more or less immediate occasions that can lead us to evil. The image is all the more accurate since these are in reality the principal instruments of iniquity for us. Our hand acts for evil, our foot leads us down the paths of sin, our eye contemplates and covets evil things. — The remedy for scandal is forcefully indicated: cut, cut, tear out. We must cut away without pity, cut to the quick; we will only be saved at this price. In life verse 42 is explained by an epithet in verse 44., in eternal life, and these two expressions are synonymous with kingdom of God, v. 46, which refers to the messianic kingdom envisioned in its glorious consummation. In Gehenna It represents hell with its terrifying torments, and above all with its eternal fire that will burn the damned without consuming them. We must briefly recount here the history of the word "Gehenna," for it is essential if we wish to grasp the full meaning of Jesus' thought. "Gehenna" comes from the Hebrew, Ghé-Hinnom, Hinnom Valley, or more completely, Ghé-Ben-Hinnom, The Valley of Hinnom. This name, given to a narrow, deep ravine south of Jerusalem, was used to refer to its former owner or some unknown hero. It was infamous in the time of the Prophets for all sorts of abominations, particularly the dreadful worship of Moloch (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:2-6). To protest against such horrors, the pious King Josiah declared the place unclean and, in fact, legally desecrated it by having human bones and all kinds of filth dumped there (2 Kings 23:10). From that moment, the Valley of Hinnom became the cesspool and sewer of Jerusalem. These various circumstances, combined with the ravine's wild appearance, led the Jews to regard it early on as a representation of hell. This idea, which is already found in the prophecies of Isaiah, 30:33; 66:24, succeeded wonderfully; popular imagination quickly seized upon it, and placed it in Gehenna (the word appears in this form in the Talmud, Gehinnam) the very gates of the place of eternal torment. «There are,» it was said, «in the Valley of Hinnom two palm trees between which smoke rises; there lies the gate of Gehenna,» Babylon. Erubin. fol. 19, 1. As for the word «fire» usually associated with «Gehenna» in the Gospels, some believe it originates from the perpetual fires kept burning in the valley to consume all kinds of refuse thrown there since the time of Josiah; more likely, according to others, from the sacred fires that had once been lit there in honor of Moloch. This association was all the more easily made since the Jews, like us, believed in the reality of the eternal flames of hell. Our Lord thus conforms to the language of his compatriots and, like them, it is hell that he designates by the phrase "fire of Gehenna." Hence, on three occasions, vv. 42, 44 and 46, the association of the words where the fire does not go out, has Gehenna. — Their worm does not die…These other words, also repeated three times, give a special character to the writing of St. Mark. Throughout this passage (vv. 42–47), we find a kind of poetry with its parallelism, its perfectly cadenced rhythm, its couplets (one for each of the human members mentioned by Jesus), and its terrifying refrain. There is every reason to believe that this was truly the original form of Our Lord's words. What we have just called a refrain was borrowed almost verbatim from the prophet Isaiah 66:24. The son of Amos, contemplating in spirit the punishment of God's enemies, and seeing them like the dead strewn across a battlefield, cried out: «And when they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have sinned against me. Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and the sight of them will loathe all flesh.» Moreover, we find similar images in the books of Judith, 16, 20-21, and Ecclesiasticus, 7, 19, which also show us the fishermen Eternally consumed by an imperishable worm, eternally burned by an unquenchable fire. These are tortures that represent in a concrete and striking way the sufferings endured without end or respite by the damned. The first must be taken literally, since there exists in hell a real fire that will never be extinguished; the second is a symbol of the remorse that will torment them. the fishermen. «He calls a soul that bites in words a worm-filled conscience because it does not do good» [St. John Chrysostom, in Caten. Cf. Juan Maldonat, h. l. See another sentiment in Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Civitate Dei, book 21, chapter 9.] These comparisons, somewhat obscure to us, were very clear to Jews; for the Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna, with its corpses slowly devoured by worms or burned on pyres, was a vivid emblem of hell. — The pronoun their, which does not directly refer back to any of the preceding words, obviously designates the damned, according to the context. — «Who is not terrified by this repetition, and the threat of such a dreadful punishment uttered by the divine mouth? ”Saint Augustine d'Hippone, l. c., chap. 8.]

Mc9.⁴⁹ For every man will be salted with fire, and every offering will be salted with salt.  — Each of the damned will be salted by their own fire, to the point of being incorruptible. But he who is a true victim for God will be seasoned with the salt of grace, which will grant him the incorruptibility of glory. This verse and the following one, which belong specifically to St. Mark, are among the most difficult. «The obscurity of this passage gives rise to a great diversity of interpretations… The obscurity concerns two things: in what circumstance and in what sense were these words spoken by Christ,» Maldonat. Let us examine these two points in turn. — 1. The connection of thoughts. The existence of a real link between these two verses and the preceding ones has sometimes been denied. Tradition, forgetting the circumstances to which this saying of Jesus referred, would have placed it wherever it came to mind; or at least the transition would exist only in the mind of the writer [See Edward Reuss, Gospel History, p. 429]. We reject these rationalist methods and affirm that neither tradition nor the author erred on this point. There is a connection between the ideas, since there is a because At the beginning of verse 49, Jesus wants to confirm the important, yet difficult to observe, doctrine he preached last, verses 43-48. He intends to explain why a Christian must courageously separate himself from anything that could lead him to evil, rather than expose himself to the torments of hell. — 2. The meaning. Each word needs to be interpreted individually. All is a rather vague expression. To define it, its application has sometimes been restricted to the damned [Jansenius]. According to others, it would indicate at least all Christians. Most exegetes leave "all" with its most general, most absolute meaning: Everyone without exception, all men. We prefer the first of these interpretations. By fire. What kind of fire is it? The fire of hell, which Jesus recently spoke of? Or a metaphorical fire, symbolizing mortification, spiritual withdrawal? The fire of hell, we believe, since that has been the meaning of the word "fire" throughout the preceding passage, and nothing requires a change. Salty. The common properties of salt and fire have often been emphasized. «Salt is the most powerful preservative of bodies. For centuries, it preserves them from corruption,» Pliny the Elder already stated [Natural History, 31]. Salt penetrates bodies like a subtle flame; fire bites in the manner of salt. Nevertheless, the effects produced by these two agents differ markedly, for fire devours and destroys, while salt fixes and preserves. But it is precisely on this second idea that the Savior wished to focus here. He had just mentioned the eternal flames that will torment the damned in hell; he explains in passing how these unfortunate souls will always burn, without being consumed. The infernal fire will have for them the nature of salt and will render them incorruptible. «He will be salted by fire, that is to say, he will be burned and tortured by fire, but at the same time preserved without corruption» [Luke of Bruges. Similarly, Jansenius, Corneille de la Pierre]. We do not believe that the verb "saler" in this context has the meaning of "purify," as various exegetes attribute to it. and every offering… This entire second hemistich is omitted by manuscripts B, L, Δ, Sinaït, and some minuscules; but its authenticity is not in doubt, for it has countless witnesses as guarantors. And Would this correspond to a simile or a simple conjunction? In the first case, there would be a relationship of dependence between the second and first halves of our verse, in the form of a simile; in the second, the two hemistichs would simply be coordinated with one another, and Jesus would express a new thought by way of contrast. Although the first view is adopted by renowned exegetes (Maldonatus, for example), we would have difficulty following it. The simile, to be accurate, would require the verb to be in the present tense. It is certain, at least, that in the last words of verse 49, Jesus Christ alludes to an ancient ordinance concerning Levitical sacrifices. «All your sacrifices you shall season with salt. You shall not remove the salt of the covenant of your God from your sacrifice. You shall offer salt for every grain offering.» Leviticus 2:13; cf. Ezekiel 43:24. Without the few pinches of salt that served as a kind of seasoning, the sacrifices, whatever they might be, would have been unbearable to God: thanks to them, they became pleasing to him. Hence, for the expression "will be salted with salt," the metaphorical meaning of "finding favor with God." As for the victims Jesus is referring to here, and about whom he says they will be salted with salt, in contrast to the wretched damned who will be salted in the fire, they are, according to the context, Christians generous souls who do not hesitate to make the harsh sacrifices recommended above, vv. 42, 44, and 46. The Savior's enigmatic pronouncement would thus amount to the following two phrases: «Each of the damned will be salted by their own fire, to the point of being incorruptible. But he who is a true victim for God will be seasoned with the salt of grace, which will give him the incorruptibility of glory.» (Lightfoot). According to another explanation, which has been frequently adopted, the general meaning of this verse is as follows: For guilty and degenerate humanity, there is a law that each of its members must submit to: they must all pass through fire. But it is better to pass through the fire of voluntary sacrifice than through the eternal flames of hell.

Mc9.⁵⁰ Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Keep the salt within you, and be at peace with one another.» — Salt is good. This mystical salt, whose beneficial effect the Savior has just pointed out, is undoubtedly excellent, just as good as natural salt. But if it becomes bland, literally "without salt," that is, bland and tasteless, its virtue has entirely disappeared, and no condiment can be found to restore it. Cf. Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34, where the same idea is found with a nuance. Therefore, adds Our Lord Jesus Christ, addressing his Apostles, have salt in you, Always have an abundant supply of it in your hearts; let its power work within you, never allowing it to grow weak. — Then, the divine Master, returning to the event that had served as the starting point of the conversation, vv. 32 and 33, concludes with this urgent exhortation: be at peace with one another. This final word was all the more expressive since, in the ancient and modern East, salt, over which the last part of the address had revolved, has always been regarded as a symbol of peace and covenant [Cf. Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5]. Our Evangelist concludes Jesus' stay in Galilee with this solemn discourse. He passes over several details in silence. parables and interesting sayings reported by St. Matthew, 18, 10-35.