Christ’s resurrection and ascension.
The third day, to three vvomen at his Sepulcher, an Angel telleth that he is risen, and vvil (as he promised Mar. 14, 28.) shevv him self in Galilee. 9 The same day he appeareth to Marie Magdalene, aftervvard to tvvo Disciples: yet the Eleuen vvil not beleeue it, vntil to them also he appeareth. 15 To vvhom hauing giuen commission into al nations, vvith povver also of Miracles, he ascendeth, and they plant his Church euery vvhere.
1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus.E passato il sabato, Maria Maddalena, e Maria madre di Giacomo, e Salome avean comperato gli aromi per andar a imbalsamare Gesù.AND vvhen the Sabboth vvas past, Marie Magdalene and Marie of Iames, and Salôme bought spices, that comming they might anoint IESVS.Et cum transisset sabbatum, Maria Magdalene, et Maria Jacobi, et Salome emerunt aromata ut venientes ungerent Jesum. 2And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen.E (partite) di gran mattino il primo dì della settimana arrivano al sepolcro, essendo già nato il sole.And very early the first of the Sabboths, they come to the monument: the sunne being novv risen.Et valde mane una sabbatorum, veniunt ad monumentum, orto jam sole. 3And they said one to another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre?E dicevano tra di loro: Chi ci leverà la pietra dalla bocca del monumento?And they said one to an other, Vvho shal roll vs backe the stone from the doore of the monument?Et dicebant ad invicem: Quis revolvet nobis lapidem ab ostio monumenti ? 4And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great.Ma in osservando videro, ch'era stata rimossa la pietra; là quale era molto grossa.And looking, they savv the stone rolled backe. for it vvas very great.Et respicientes viderunt revolutum lapidem. Erat quippe magnus valde. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished.Ed entrate nel monumento videro un giovane a sedere dal lato destro, coperto di bianca veste, e rimasero stupefatte.And entring into the monument, they savv a yong man sitting on the right hand, couered vvith a vvhite robe: and they vvere astonied.Et introëuntes in monumentum viderunt juvenem sedentem in dextris, coopertum stola candida, et obstupuerunt. 6Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen: he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.Ma egli disse loro: Non abbiate timore: Voi cercate Gesù Nazareno crocifisso: egli è risuscitato, non è qui: ecco il luogo, dove l'aveano deposto.Vvho saith to them, Be not dismaied: you seeke IESVS of Nazareth, that vvas crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place vvhere they laid him.Qui dicit illis: Nolite expavescere: Jesum quæritis Nazarenum, crucifixum: surrexit, non est hic, ecce locus ubi posuerunt eum.
7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There you shall see him, as he told you.Ma andate, dite a' suoi discepoli, e a Pietro: egli vi anderà innanzi nella Galilea: ivi lo vedrete, com' egli vi ha detto.But goe, tel his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there you shal see him, as he told you.Sed ite, dicite discipulis ejus, et Petro, quia præcedit vos in Galilæam: ibi eum videbitis, sicut dixit vobis. 8But they going out, fled from the sepulchre: for a trembling and fear had seized them. And they said nothing to any man: for they were afraid.Ed esse uscite del sepolcro, si dettero a fuggire: imperocché erano sopraffatte dalla paura, e dal tremore: e non disser nulla a nissuno; perché erano impaurite.But they going forth, fled from the monument. for trembling and feare had inuaded them: and they said nothing to any body. for they vvere afraid.At illæ exeuntes, fugerunt de monumento: invaserat enim eas tremor et pavor: et nemini quidquam dixerunt: timebant enim. 9But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen; out of whom he had cast seven devils.Ma Gesù essendo risuscitato la mattina, il primo dì della settimana, apparve in prima a Maria Maddalena, dalla quale avea cacciato sette demonj.And he rising early the first of the Sabboth, appeared first to Marie Magdalene, out of vvhom he had cast seuen deuils.Surgens autem mane prima sabbati, apparuit primo Mariæ Magdalene, de qua ejecerat septem dæmonia. 10She went and told them that had been with him, who were mourning and weeping.Ed ella andò ad annunziarlo a coloro, ch'erano stati con esso lui, i quali erano afflitti, e piangevano.She vvent and told them that had been vvith him, that vvere mourning and vveeping.Illa vadens nuntiavit his, qui cum eo fuerant, lugentibus et flentibus. 11And they hearing that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe.Ed essi, avendo udito, com' egli era vivo, ed ella l'avea veduto, non credettero.And they hearing that he vvas aliue and had been seen of her, did not beleeue.Et illi audientes quia viveret, et visus esset ab ea, non crediderunt. 12And after that he appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country.Dopo di questo a due di loro si mostrò per istrada sott'altro aspetto, mentre andavano a un villaggio.And after he appeared in an other shape to tvvo of them vvalking, as they vvere going into the countrie.Post hæc autem duobus ex his ambulantibus ostensus est in alia effigie, euntibus in villam: 13And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them.E questi andarono a darne la nuova agli altri, i quali non credettero nemmen a loro.and they going told the rest: neither them did they beleeue.et illi euntes nuntiaverunt ceteris: nec illis crediderunt.
14At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again.Ultimamente apparve agli undici, mentre erano a mensa: e rinfacciò ad essi la loro incredulità, e durezza di cuore; perché non avevan prestato fede a quelli, che l'avevan veduto risuscitato.Last he appeared to those eleuen as they sate at the table: and he exprobrated their incredulity and hardnes of hart, because they did not beleeue them that had seen him risen againe.Novissime recumbentibus illis undecim apparuit: et exprobravit incredulitatem eorum et duritiam cordis: quia iis, qui viderant eum resurrexisse, non crediderunt. 15And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.E disse loro: Andate per tutto il mondo, predicate il Vangelo a tutti gli uomini.And he said to them, Going into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospel to al creatures.Et dixit eis: Euntes in mundum universum prædicate Evangelium omni creaturæ. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.Chi crederà, e sarà battezzato, sarà salvo: chi poi non crederà, sarà condannato.He that beleeueth and is baptized, shal be saued: but he that beleeueth not, shal be condemned.Qui crediderit, et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit: qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues.E questi sono i miracoli, che accompagneranno coloro, che avran creduto: nel nome mio scacceranno i demonj: parleranno lingue nuove:And them that beleeue these signes shal folow: In my name shal they cast out deuils, They shal speake vvith nevv tonges,Signa autem eos qui crediderint, hæc sequentur: in nomine meo dæmonia ejicient: linguis loquentur novis: 18They shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hand upon the sick: and they shall recover.Maneggeranno i serpenti, e se avran bevuto qualche cosa di mortifero, non farà loro male: imporranno le mani ai malati, e guariranno.Serpents shal they take avvay, And if they drinke any deadly thing, it shal not hurt them, They shal impose hands vpon the sicke: and they shal be vvhole.serpentes tollent: et si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocebit: super ægros manus imponent, et bene habebunt.
19And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God.E il Signore Gesù, parlato che ebbe con essi, fu assunto al cielo, e siede alla destra di Dio.And so our Lord IESVS after he spake vnto them, vvas assumpted into heauen, and sate on the right hand of God.Et Dominus quidem Jesus postquam locutus est eis, assumptus est in cælum, et sedet a dextris Dei. 20But they going forth preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.Ed essi andarono, e predicarono per ogni dove, cooperando il Signore, il quale confermava la sua parola con i miracoli, da' quali era seguitata.But they going forth preached euery vvhere: our Lord working vvithal, and confirming the vvord vvith signes that folovved.Illi autem profecti prædicaverunt ubique, Domino cooperante, et sermonem confirmante, sequentibus signis.
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Saturday evening, after the sun was set, for the sabbath began and ended with the setting sun.
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St. Augustine
St. Mark says very early, the sun being now risen, whereas St. John tells us that it was yet dark. But when St. Mark says the sun was risen, he means that it began, by its approach to the horizon, to enlighten the heavens, at which time there is still darkness remaining, (according to St. John) which decreases as light approaches the earth. (St. Augustine)
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Theophylactus
St. Matthew says the angel was sitting on the stone, whilst St. Mark says that they saw him sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. This must not surprise us; for the angel which first appeared sitting upon the stone, might have been afterwards seen by him sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. (Theophylactus)
St. Augustine
Perhaps the angel mentioned by St. Matthew is different from the one mentioned by St. Mark. Or it may be understood, that the women entering the monument, which may mean the enclosure of it, saw the angel sitting on the stone, which was placed on the right side of the sepulchre. (St. Augustine)
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Ven. Bede
This appearance of our Saviour is more fully related by St. John. Our Lord arose early from the monument in which he had been placed late in the evening, thus fulfilling the words of the psalmist: In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness. (Psalm xxix.) (Ven. Bede)
Rising early. It appears from this that our Saviour arose early, about sunrise, as was the sentiment of St. Augustine; though St. Gregory seems to think that he arose at midnight, in the same manner as Samson, who was a figure of Christ, arose in the middle of the night and carried away the gates of Gaza. If we follow this opinion, we must understand the word early as referring to the verb appeared, not to the participle rising, and then the sentence will be: he rising, (having arisen) appeared early the first day of the week. The first interpretation, however, of St. Augustine seems more agreeable to the text: he rising early the first day of the week, appeared, etc.
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He had appeared to Magdalene in the form of a gardener, and to two disciples in the form of a traveller.
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At length, etc. in the Latin text, taken according to the letter, is lastly, or last of all: but if we examine and compare the four gospels, this was not the last time that Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. We can only then understand it of the last time mentioned by this evangelist.
Witham
To the eleven. If this apparition (as it was the opinion of St. Augustine) was made when St. Thomas was not with them, they were only then ten, without St. Thomas and Judas. The evangelist here calls them eleven, because the apostolical college (Judas being dead) consisted of no more than eleven. And this way of speaking may be justified by diverse examples: one instance may suffice. A meeting of the Jewish sanhedrim might be called the Council of the Seventy-two, though it many times happened that all the seventy-two were not there present. (Witham)
Bible de Vence
Some think that this was the last apparition of Jesus Christ, after which he quitted the earth, and ascended into heaven. (Bible de Vence)
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St. Jerome
Let those weep and lament who have not yet seen him, and in a short time they shall receive consolation. Blessed are they that weep, for they shall be comforted, St. Matthew 5. (St. Jerome)
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By these words it is not to be understood that Jesus is to be confined to that particular posture of body, or that the Father has any hands, or any human shape; for God is a pure, incorporeal, and all-perfect Spirit. The image of God, as he is in himself, comes not within the reach of our mortal senses. When the Scripture, therefore, speaks of God, it uses such imagery of language as is adapted to our senses, that it may thereby convey to us some imperfect knowledge of those sublime mysteries, which are ineffable in themselves, and incomprehensible to our understanding. Thus we are informed that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, to signify that, as man, our Lord is raised to the height of glory, and to that supreme beatitude, than which there is nothing higher, and nothing greater in the whole bliss of heaven; and that he moreover holds the same sovereign dominion with the Father over all creatures; because, as God, he is equal to the Father in power, in wisdom, and in all perfection. See Pouget, p. 256. ed. in fol.
Witham
On the right hand of God. Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, was not man only, but truly God, the same God with his eternal Father: and hereby is signified that the person, who took upon him human nature, and became man, is equal in dignity with the Father: he, who, as man, ascended into heaven. [Ver. 19. St. Hieron.[St. Jerome,] Ep. ad Hebidiam, q. 3, tom. 4, part 1, p. 172: omnibus Graecis Libris penè hoc capitulum non habentibus.] When St. Jerome says that most Greek copies wanted this chapter, he speaks not of chapters according to our present division, but only of the last 12 verses, which formerly made what was called a little chapter: yet these twelve verses must have been omitted in those manuscripts by some negligent transcribers. Now they are found in all, both Latin and Greek copies. They are found in the Canons of Eusebius on the Gospels; in St. Jerome in several places; in St. Ambrose, lib. iii, in Luc. tom. iii, p. 292. Ed. Paris, an. 1582; in St. Augustine, lib. iii, de consensu Evang. ch. XXV, tom. 3, part 2, p. 142, etc. (Witham)
Bible de Vence
St. Gregory of Nyssa, (orat. 2. de Resurr.) says, that the best copies of St. Mark's gospel finished with the 8th verse, a trembling and fear had seized them: En tois akribesterois to Kata Markon Euaggelion mekri tou ephobounto gar, echei to telos. It is the very generally received sentiment of the learned, that the last 12 verses were given by St. Mark; and the most probable reason yet offered for the omission of them in various copies is, that the transcribers followed a mutilated copy, where the last page was wanting. (Bible de Vence)
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Theophylactus
Let us here take notice, that, as the apostles confirmed their words by the signs that followed, so also in us must our words be confirmed by works. "Grant, O Jesus! that the discourse we deliver, concerning virtue, may be confirmed by works and actions; that thus, by thy co-operation, we may become perfect in word and work; for to Thee is due the glory of our discourses and actions." (Theophylactus)
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The sun being now risen.... They set out before it was light, to go to the sepulchre; but the sun was risen when they arrived there. Or, figuratively, the sun here spoken of is the sun of justice, Christ Jesus our Lord, who was risen before their coming.
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THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE
St. Luke was a native of Antioch, the capital of Syria. He was by profession a physician; and some ancient writers say, that he was very skillful in painting. He was converted by St. Paul and became his disciple and companion in his travels, and fellow-labourer in the ministry of the Gospel. He wrote in Greek, about twenty-four years after our Lord’s Ascension.
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1. Bought spices.] The vvomens deuotion tovvard Christs body novv dead. As she did bestow and consume a costly ointment vpon his body being yet aliue (c. 14, 3,) Christ him self defending and highly commending the fact against Iudas and other who accounted it to be superfluous and better to be bestowed otherwise: So not without great deuotion and merite, she and these other women seeke to anoint his body dead (though Heretikes or other simple persons may pretend such things to be better bestowed vpon the poore) and therfore, Mr. 16, 9. she first before al other, Mt. 28, 9. and they next, saw him after his Resurrection.
Concordance Mt. 28, 1.
In the liturgy The Gospel vpō Easter day.
Concordance Iu. 24, 1.
Concordance Io. 20, 1.
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EASTER DAY.
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Peter is named in special (as often els vvhere) for prerogatiue.
Concordance Mr. 14, 28.
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Concordance Io. 20, 16.
Concordance Luc. 8, 2.
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Concordance Lu. 24, 13.
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12. In an other shape.] Christs body vnder diuers formes. Christ though he haue but one corporal shape, natural to his person, yet by his omnipotencie he may be in whatsoeuer forme, and appears in the likenesse of any other man or creature, as he list, Therfore let no man thinke it strange, that he may be vnder the forme of bread in the B. Sacrament.
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Concordance Lu. 24, 36.
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In the liturgy The Gospel vpō the Ascension day.
Concordance Io. 20, 19.
Concordance Mt. 28, 19.
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16. He that beleeueth.] Note wel, that whereas this Euangelist mentioneth only faith and baptisme, Not onely faith. as though to beleeue and to be baptized were ynough, S. Matthew addeth these wordes also of our Sauiour, Mt. 28. 20. teaching them to obserue al things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you, which conteineth al good workes and the whole iustice of a Christian man.
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17. These signes shal folow.] The gift of miracles. It is not meant, that al Christians or true beleeuers should doe miracles: but that some for the proofe of the faith of al, should haue that gift. The which is the grace or gift of the whole Church, executed by certaine for the edification and profite of the whole.
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❀The Ascension.
Concordance Lu. 25, 51.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 23
… [14] And Jesus sighed within himself, and said, What sign seeketh this evil and adulterous generation? It seeketh a sign, and it shall not be given a sign, except the sign [15] of Jonah the prophet. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not be given a [16] sign. And he left them, and went up into the boat, and went away to that side.
St Dionysius of Alexandria † AD 265 Containing Various Sections of the Works 5.1
… And Mark follows this, and says: “They had bought sweet spices, in order that they might come and anoint Him. And very early (in the morning), the first day of the week, they come unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 120
(3) How are the discrepancies in the evangelical narratives to be accounted for? How can Matt. xxviii. 1 be reconciled with
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 36.8
… For the day now known as the Lord’s day was then called the first day of the week, as is more plainly seen in the Gospels; for the day of the Lord’s resurrection is called by Matthew μία σαββάτων , and by the other three evangelists ἡ μία (τῶν) σαββάτων ,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.24
… For when Matthew says, “Now, on the evening of the Sabbath, when it was dawning toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre,” what are we to make of Mark’s statement, which runs thus: “And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun”?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 57.14
… But distinguished from one another are these organs. …What therefore do these two organs figure to us? For Christ the Lord our God is waking up His psaltery and His harp; and He saith, “I will rise up at the dawn.” I suppose that here ye now perceive the Lord rising. We have read thereof in the Gospel:
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 52
[45] And in the evening of the sabbath, which is the morning of the first day , and in [46] the dawning while the darkness yet remained, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and other women to see the tomb. They brought with them the [47] perfume which they had prepared, and said among themselves,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 52
… They brought with them the [47] perfume which they had prepared, and said among themselves, Who is it that will [48] remove for us the stone from the door of the tomb? for it was very great.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 85
“But in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 52
… And his appearance was as the lightning, and his raiment white as the [51] snow: and for fear of him the guards were troubled, and became as dead men . [52] And when he went away, the women entered into the sepulchre; and they found [53] [Arabic, p. 200] not the body of Jesus.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.24
… For Mark tells us that the women entered into the sepulchre, and there saw a young man sitting on the right side, covered with a long white garment, and that they were affrighted.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.4
… “All day long warring he hath troubled me,” every one that hath been put afar off from the saints. But why should not here be understood even the devil himself? Is it because mention is made of “man”? doth therefore the Gospel err, because it hath said, “A man that is an enemy hath done this”? But by a kind of figure may he also be called a man,
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… His version runs thus: “Be not affrighted: ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified; He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.11
… For He said to His disciples, admonishing them, Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven , meaning the Cross. And so also the angel of the resurrection said to the woman, Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
… he is risen: remember what he was speaking unto you while he was in [4] Galilee, and saying, The Son of man is to be delivered up into the hands of sinners, [5] and to be crucified, and on the third day to rise. But go in haste, and say to his disciples and to Cephas, He is risen from among the dead; and lo, he goeth before [6] you into Galilee;
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
… But go in haste, and say to his disciples and to Cephas, He is risen from among the dead; and lo, he goeth before [6] you into Galilee; and there ye shall see him, where he said unto you: lo, I have [7] told you. And they remembered his sayings; and they departed in haste from the [8] tomb with joy and great fear, and hastened and went;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.24
64. It may also be asked how it is that Mark says: “And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they anything to any man; for they were afraid;”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
[25] And on the First-day on which he rose, he appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Tertullian † AD 220 A Treatise on the Soul 25
… and that not of one only, as in the case of Socrates’ own demon; but of seven spirits as in the case of the Magdalene;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 38
… but now both twice and thrice, and almost in each several case of them that had seen Him he employs it. For “He appeared,” saith he, “to Cephas, He appeared to above five hundred brethren, He appeared to me also.” Yet surely the Gospel saith the contrary, that He was seen of Mary first. (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.24
… and said nothing to any man, he subjoins the statement, that the Lord rose early the first day of the week, and appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils, and that she went and told them who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept, and that they, when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 9
… On it the world took its beginning. On it through the resurrection of Christ death received its destruction, and life its commencement. On it the apostles take from the Lord’s hands the trumpet of the gospel which is to be preached to all nations, and receive the sacrament of regeneration
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
… And they came and took [34] hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Fear not: but go and say to my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there they shall see [35] me. And those women returned, and told all that to the eleven, and to the rest of the disciples;
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
… And those women returned, and told all that to the eleven, and to the rest of the disciples; and to those that had been with him, for they were saddened and [36] weeping. And those were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the rest who were with them: and they were those that told the apostles. [37]
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
… And those were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the rest who were with them: and they were those that told the apostles. [37] And they, when they heard them say that he was alive and had appeared unto them, [38] did not believe them: and these sayings were before their eyes as the sayings of madness. [39] [Arabic, p. 203]
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 95.7
… He gave at that time the clearest evidence of the ease with which He exercised this power, both by showing Himself in another form to the two disciples, and by His appearing, not as a spirit, but in His true body, to the disciples in the upper chamber, although the doors were shut.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… Still, it remains the probable supposition, that, after He was seen of Peter, He appeared next to those two, of whom Cleophas was one, and regarding whom Luke presents us with a complete narrative, while Mark gives us only a very brief notice. The latter evangelist
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 53
[59] And they rose in that hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [60] gathered, and those that were with them, saying, Truly our Lord is risen, and hath [61] appeared to Simon. And they related what happened in the way, and how they knew him when he brake the bread.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… For, not knowing with whom they were conversing, they might reasonably be anxious not to let any word drop from them on the subject of Christ’s resurrec tion, lest they should fall into the hands of the Jews. But again, we must remark that Mark states that “they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them:”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
[1] But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had [2] appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but there were of [3] them who doubted.
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
Mark xvi. 14 . Even the Apostles showed unbelief and hardness of heart.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… A difficulty, however, is created by the circumstance that his terms are these: “Lastly, He appeared unto those eleven as they sat at meat.”
16:15
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.13
… And as the Father spake through the prophets, so, too, Agabus says concerning the Spirit: “Thus saith the Holy Spirit, Thus shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, whose is this girdle.” And as Wisdom sent the apostles, saying, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel,”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.14
… We have yet to confute another blasphemy, and to show that the Son of God is not a created being. Herein is the quickening word that we read as our help, for we have heard the passage read where the Lord saith: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to all creation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 6.44
Chapter 44.— 85. Vincentius of Thibari said: "We know that heretics are worse than heathens. If they, being converted, wish to come to God, they have assuredly a rule of truth, which the Lord by His divine precept committed to the apostles, saying, ‘Go ye, lay on hands in my name, cast out devils;’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.40
… “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… For, after mentioning this upbraiding, Mark at once proceeds to subjoin this passage: “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.2
… they announced Him, that saw, that handled, that heard the word out of His own mouth; and that they might persuade all mankind of the truth thereof, they were sent by Him, not dared to go of themselves. And whither were they sent? Ye heard while the Gospel was read, “Go, preach the Gospel to the whole creation which is under heaven.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 9
… On it the world took its beginning. On it through the resurrection of Christ death received its destruction, and life its commencement. On it the apostles take from the Lord’s hands the trumpet of the gospel which is to be preached to all nations, and receive the sacrament of regeneration
16:16
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
… and as my Father hath sent me, so I also send you. Go now into [6] all the world, and preach my gospel in all the creation; and teach all the peoples, and [7] baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and teach them to keep all whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you all the days, unto [8] the end of the world.
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.17
… Martha saith unto Him;— Yea, Lord, I believe . And He raised him after four days. And also Simon who was called Cephas because of his faith was called the firm rock. And again when our Lord gave the Sacrament of Baptism to His apostles, He said thus to them:— Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall live, and whosoever believeth not shall be condemned .
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 7
… They did not say, How shall we be saved? but, “What shall we do?” Here again Peter, though the question is put to all, is the man to answer. “Repent,” says he, “and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ.” ( v. 38 .) He does not yet say, Believe, but, “Be baptized every one of you.” For
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 3.3
… but the wrath of God abideth on him;” and they are under judgment, since “he that believeth not is condemned already;” and they shall be condemned, since “he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 3.6
… or that the man is condemned without sin who must be reckoned, when unbaptized, in the class of non-believers, since the gospel of course cannot deceive us, when it most clearly asserts, “He that believeth not shall be damned;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin 2.17
… but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 1.40
… for you give them outside the kingdom of heaven a place of salvation and life eternal, even if they have not been baptized. Nor do you regard what is written, “Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he who believeth not shall be condemned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.16
16. So again when we hear, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 120
… Nay, the immortal mystery had perished from the hearts of unbelievers, because so great salvation is of no avail to unbelievers, as the Very Truth said to His disciples: “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned
16:17
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
… and teach all the peoples, and [7] baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and teach them to keep all whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you all the days, unto [8] the end of the world. For whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but [9] whosoever believeth not shall be rejected.
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 2.20.3
… but His passion gave rise to strength and power. For the Lord, through means of suffering, “ascending into the lofty place, led captivity captive, gave gifts to men,” and conferred on those that believe in Him the power “to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Seventh Council of Carthage under Cyprian. Concerning the Baptism of Heretics 1
Vincentius of Thibaris said: We know that heretics are worse than Gentiles. If, therefore, being converted, they should wish to come to the Lord, we have assuredly the rule of truth which the Lord by His divine precept commanded to His apostles, saying, “Go ye, lay on hands in my name, expel demons.”
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.17
… And He said to them:— Doubt ye not, lest ye sink down in the midst of the world, even as Simon when he doubted began to sink in the midst of the sea . And again He said thus;— This shall be the sign for those that believe; they shall speak with new tongues and shall cast out demons, and they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall be made whole.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.4
31. Peter, again, when he healed Aeneas, said: “In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise and walk.” Not in his own name, but in the Name of Christ. But “rise” is a command; on the other hand, it is an instance of confidence in one’s right,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 1.8
35. And in fine He gave all gifts to His disciples, of whom He said: “In My Name they shalt cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall do well.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 4
… So then the testimony comes from all quarters: from citizens, from foreigners, from proselytes. “We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” For it was not only that they spoke (in their tongues), but the things they spoke were wonderful.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… For the same Mark continues in these terms: “And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 7.20
But why are we so long dealing with your wild blasphemy, with arguments that are plain indeed but still slight? Let us hear God Himself speaking to His disciples: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils.” And again: “In My name,” He says, “ye shall cast out devils.”
16:18
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
… and lo, I am with you all the days, unto [8] the end of the world. For whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but [9] whosoever believeth not shall be rejected. And the signs which shall attend those that believe in me are these: that they shall cast out devils in my name; and they [10] shall speak with new tongues;
Tertullian † AD 220 Scorpiace 1
… magic also puts on some bandage; the art of healing counteracts with lancet and cup. For some, making haste, take also beforehand a protecting draught; but sexual intercourse drains it off, and they are dry again. We have faith for a defence, if we are not smitten with distrust itself also, in immediately making the sign and adjuring,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 15
… And this is what He did even with the furnace at Babylon. For He did not either prevent their falling into it, or extinguish the flame after those saints were cast into it, but let it burn on, and made them by this very flame greater objects of wonder, and with the Apostles too He wrought other like wonders continually. (St.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin 2.23
… For what else are hearing, and reading, and copiously depositing things in the memory, than several processes of drinking? The Lord, however, foretold concerning His faithful followers, that even “if they should drink any deadly thing, it should not hurt them.”
16:19
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
… and he [13] lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And while he blessed them, he was separated from them, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. [14, 15] And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and at all times they were in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.10.5
… and I shall show [the same truth] from the prophets themselves in the further course of this work. Also, towards the conclusion of his Gospel, Mark says: “So then, after the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God;”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 51
… since Jesus is still sitting there at the right hand of the Father,
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 30
… For the Son, therefore, to die, amounted to His being forsaken by the Father. The Son, then, both dies and rises again, according to the Scriptures. It is the Son, too, who ascends to the heights of heaven, and also descends to the inner parts of the earth. “He sitteth at the Father’s right hand”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 14
… from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool . And again, Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 2
… 17–20 ); they learned that there will be a resurrection ( Matt. xvii. 9 ); that when He ascended He sat on the right hand of God ( Luke xxii. 69 ); and what is still more stupendous, that Flesh is seated in heaven, and adored by Angels, and that He will come again (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Then he appends this statement: “So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by signs following.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.22
… But forasmuch as the self-same Christ is understood in His Body which is the Church, wherefore also His members are His saints and believers, whence to them is said, “But ye are the Body of Christ, and the members,” doubtless He hath Himself also received gifts in men. Now Christ hath gone up on high, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 72.8
… just as they are drawn even from things earthly, to wit, stone, lion, lamb, man having two sons, and the like: therefore having humbled the false-accuser, He endureth with the sun: because having vanquished the devil by the Resurrection, He sitteth at the right hand of the Father,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 72.10
… conquer the contradiction and rebellion of the flesh, and whereby there may be made a peace so increasing and abundant, until the moon be exalted, that is, until the Church be lifted up, through the glory of the Resurrection to reign with Him, who went before Her in this glory, the first-born of the dead, that He might sit at the right hand of the Father;
16:20
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 55
[16] And from thence they went forth, and preached in every place; and our Lord helped them, and confirmed their sayings by the signs which they did.
16:1
Pseudo-Jerome
After the sadness of the sabbath, a happy day dawns upon them, which holds the chief place amongst days, for in it the chief light shines forth, and the Lord rises in triumph. Wherefore it is said, And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, had bought sweet spices.
The Gloss ord. ex Bedâ.
For these religious women after the burial of the Lord, as long as it was lawful to work, that is, up to sunset, prepared ointment, as Luke says. (Luke 23:56) And because they could not finish their work from the shortness of the time, when the sabbath was over, that is, at sunset, as soon as the time for working came round again, they hastened to buy spices, as Mark says, that they might go in the morning to anoint the body of Jesus. Neither could they come to the sepulchre on the evening of the sabbath, for night prevented them. Wherefore it goes on: And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 occ. ap. Chrysologum, serm. 82
The women in this place run abroad with womanly devotion, for they do not bring Him faith as though He were alive, but ointments as to one dead; and they prepare the service of their grief for Him as buried, not the joys of heavenly triumph for Him as risen.
Theophylact † 1107
For they do not understand the greatness and dignity of the wisdom of Christ. But they came according to the custom of the Jews to anoint the body of Christ, that it might remain sweet-smelling, and might not burst forth into moisture, for spices have the property of drying up, and absorb the moisture of the body, so that they keep the body from corruption.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Hom. in Evan. 21
But if we believe on Him who is dead, and are filled with the sweet smell of virtue, and seek the Lord with the fame of good works, we come to His sepulchre with spices. There follows: And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
St Augustine † AD 430 Con. Evang. iii. 24
What Luke expresses by very early in the morning, and John by early when it was yet dark, Mark must be understood to mean, when he says, very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, that is, when the sky was growing bright in the east, as is usual in places near the rising sun; for this is the light which we call the dawning. Therefore there is no discrepancy with the report which says, while it was yet dark. For when the day is dawning, the remains of darkness lessen in proportion as the light grows brighter; and we must not take the words very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, to mean that the sun himself was seen upon the earth, but as expressing the near approach of the sun into those parts, that is, when his rising begins to light up the sky.
Pseudo-Jerome
By very early in the morning, (Luke 24:1. diluculo Vulg.) he means what another Evangelist expresses by at the dawning. But the dawn is the time between the darkness of night, and the brightness of day, in which the salvation of man is coming forth with a happy closeness, to be declared in the Church, just as the sun, when he is rising and the light is near, sends before him the rosy dawn, that with prepared eyes she may bear to see the graciousness of his glorious brightness, when the time of our Lord’s resurrection has dawned; that then the whole Church, after the example of the women, may sing the praises of Christ, since He has quickened the race of man after the pattern of His resurrection, since He has given life, and has poured upon them the light of belief.
St Bede † AD 735 in Marc. 4, 45
As then the women shew the great fervency of their love, by coming very early in the morning to the sepulchre, as the history relates, according to the mystical sense an example is given to us, that with a shining face, and shaking off the darkness of wickedness, we may be careful to offer the fragrance of good works and the sweetness of prayer to the Lord.
Theophylact † 1107
He says, On the first of the sabbaths, (μιᾱς σαββάτων.) that is, on the first of the days of the week. For the days of the week are called sabbaths, and by the word ‘una’ is meant ‘prima.’
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Or else, by this phrase is meant the first day from the day of sabbaths, or rests, which were kept on the sabbath. There follows: And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
Your breast was darkened, your eyes shut, and therefore ye did not before see the glory of the opened sepulchre. It goes on: And they looked, and saw that the stone was rolled away.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Matthew shews clearly enough, that the stone was rolled away by an Angel. This rolling away of the stone means mystically the opening of the Christian sacraments, which were held under the veil of the letter of the law; for the law was written on stone. It goes on: For it was very great.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
Great indeed by its office rather than its size, for it can shut in and throw open the body of the Lord.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
But the women who came with spices see the Angels; because those minds who come to the Lord with their virtues, through holy desires, see the heavenly citizens. Wherefore it goes on: And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Theophylact † 1107
Though Matthew says that the Angel was sitting on the stone, whilst Mark relates that the women entering into the sepulchre saw a young man sitting, yet we need not wonder, for they afterwards saw sitting within the sepulchre the same Angel as sat without on the stone.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
Either let us suppose that Matthew was silent about that Angel, whom they saw on entering, whilst Mark said nothing of him, whom they saw outside sitting on the stone, so that they saw two and heard severally from two, the things which the Angels said concerning Jesus; or we must understand by entering into the sepulchre, their coming within some inclosure, by which it is probable that the place was surrounded a little space before the stone, by the cutting out of which the burial place had been made, so that they saw sitting on the right hand in that space him whom Matthew designates as sitting on the stone.
Theophylact † 1107
But some say the women mentioned by Matthew were different from those in Mark. But Mary Magdalene was with all parties, from her burning zeal and ardent love.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
The women, then, entered the sepulchre, that being buried with Christ, they might rise again from the tomb with Christ. They see the young man, that is, they see the time of the Resurrection, for the Resurrection has no old age, and the period, in which man knows neither birth nor death, admits of no decay, and requires no increase. Wherefore what they saw was a young man, not an old man, nor an infant, but the age of joy.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Now they saw a young man sitting on the right side, that is, on the south part of the place where the body was laid. For the body, which was lying on its back, and had its head to the west, must have had its right to the south.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
But what is meant by the left hand, but this present life, and what by the right, but everlasting life? Because then our Redeemer had already gone through the decay of this present life, fitly did the Angel, who had come to announce His everlasting life, sit on the right hand.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
Again, they saw a young man sitting on the right, because the Resurrection has nothing sinister in it. They also see him dressed in a long white robe; that robe is not from mortal fleece, but of living virtue, blazing with heavenly light, not of an earthly dye, as saith the Prophet, Thou deckest thyself with light as with a garment; and of the just it is said, Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun. (Ps. 104:2) (Matt. 13:43)
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
Or else, he appeared covered with a white robe, because he announced the joys of our festivity, for the whiteness of the robe shews the splendour of our solemnity.
Pseudo-Jerome
The white robe is also true joy, now that the enemy is driven away, the kingdom won, the King of Peace sought for and found and never let go by us. This young man then shews an image of the Resurrection to them who feared death. But their being frightened shews that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. (1 Cor 2:9) There follows, And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
As though he had said, Let them fear, who love not the coming of the inhabitants of heaven; let them fear, who, weighed down with carnal desires, despair that they can ever attain to their company; but why should ye fear, ye who see your own fellow citizens.
Pseudo-Jerome
For there is no fear in love. Why should they fear, who had found Him whom they sought?
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
But let us hear what the Angel adds; Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus means the Saviour, but at that time there may have been many a Jesus, not indeed really, but in name, therefore the place Nazareth is added, that it might be evident of what Jesus it was spoken. And immediately he subjoins the reason, Which was crucified.
Theophylact † 1107
For he does not blush at the Cross, for in it is the salvation of men, and the beginning of the Blessed.
Pseudo-Jerome
But the bitter root of the Cross has disappeared. The flower of life has burst forth with its fruits, that is, He who lay in death has risen in glory. Wherefore he adds, He is risen; he is not here.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
He is not here, is spoken of His carnal presence, for He was not absent from any place as to the presence of His majesty.
Theophylact † 1107
As if he had said, Do ye wish to be certain of His resurrection, he adds, Behold the place where they laid him. This too was the reason why he had rolled away the stone, that he might shew the the place.
Pseudo-Jerome
But immortality is shewn to mortals as1 due to thankfulness, that we may understand what we were, and that we may know what we are to be. There follows, But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. The women are ordered to tell the Apostles, that as by a woman death was announced, so also might life rising again. But He says specially unto Peter, because he had shewn himself unworthy of being a disciple, since he had thrice denied his Master; but past sins cease to hurt us when they cease to be pleasing to us.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
If again the Angel had not expressly named him who had denied his Master, he would not have dared to come amongst the disciples; he is therefore called by name, lest he should despair on account of his denial.
St Augustine † AD 430 Con. Evan. iii. 25
By saying, He will go before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him, as he said unto you, he seems to imply, that Jesus would not shew Himself to His disciples after His resurrection except in Galilee, which shewing of Himself Mark himself has not2 mentioned. For that which He has related, Early the first day of the week he appeared to Mary Magdalene, and after that to two of them as they walked and went into the country, we know took place in Jerusalem, on the very day of the resurrection; then he comes to His last manifestation, which we know was on the Mount of Olives, not far from Jerusalem. Mark therefore never relates the fulfilment of that which was foretold by the Angel; but Matthew does not mention any place at all, where the disciples saw the Lord after He arose, except Galilee, according to the Angel’s prophecy. But since it is not set down when this happened, whether first, before He was seen any where else, and since the very place where Matthew says that He went into Galilee to the mountain, does not explain the day, or the order of the narration, Matthew does not oppose the account of the others, but assists in explaining and receiving them. But nevertheless since the Lord was not first to shew Himself there, but sent word that He was to be seen in Galilee, where He was seen subsequently, it makes every faithful Christian on the look out, to find out in what mysterious sense it may be understood.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
For Galilee means1 ‘a passing over;’ for our Redeemer had already passed from His Passion to His resurrection, from death unto life, and we shall have joy in seeing the glory of His resurrection, if only we pass over from vice to the heights of virtue. He then who is announced at the tomb, is shewn in ‘passing over,’ because He who is first known in mortification of the flesh, is seen in this passing over of the soul.
Pseudo-Jerome
This sentence is but short in the number of syllables, but the promise is vast in its greatness. Here is the fountain of our joy, and the source of everlasting life is prepared. Here all that are scattered are brought together, and the contrite hearts are healed. There, he says, ye shall see Him, but not as ye have seen Him.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
It is also signified that the grace of Christ is about to pass over from the people of Israel to the Gentiles, by whom the Apostles would never have been received when they preached, if the Lord had not gone before them and prepared a way in their hearts; and this is what is meant by, He goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him, that is, there shall ye find His members. There follows: And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed.
Theophylact † 1107
That is, they trembled because of the vision of Angels, and were amazed because of the resurrection.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
The Angel indeed sits on the sepulchre, the women fly from it; he, on account of his heavenly substance, is confident, they are troubled because of their earthly frame. He who cannot die, cannot fear the tomb, but the women both fear from what was then done, and still, as being mortals, fear the sepulchre as mortals are wont.
Pseudo-Jerome
This also is spoken of the life to come, in which grief and groaning will flee away. For the women prefigure before the resurrection all that is to happen to them after the resurrection, namely, they flee away from death and fear. There follows, Neither said they any thing to any man, for they were afraid.
Theophylact † 1107
Either on account of the Jews, or else they said nothing because the fear of the vision prevented them.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Evan. iii. 24.
We may however enquire how Mark can say this, when Matthew says, they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples word, (Matt. 28:8) unless we understand it to mean, that they did not dare to say a word to any of the Angels themselves, that is, to answer the words which they had spoken to them; or else to the guards whom they saw lying there; for that joy of which Matthew speaks is not inconsistent with the fear which Mark mentions. For we ought to have understood that both feelings were in their minds, even though Matthew had not mentioned the fear. But since he has also said that they came out with fear and great joy, he does not allow room for any question to be raised.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
It is said also in a marked manner, that they said nothing to any one, because it is the part of women to hear, and not to speak, to learn, not to teach.
The Latin text
Hieronymus
Post sabbati tristitiam felix irradiat dies, quae primatum in diebus tenet, luce prima in eo lucescente, et domino in eo cum triumpho resurgente; unde dicitur et cum transisset sabbatum, Maria Magdalene et Maria Iacobi et Salome emerunt aromata, ut venientes ungerent Iesum
Glossa
Religiosae enim mulieres sepulto domino, cum licuit operari, idest usque ad solis occasum, unguenta paraverunt, ut Lucas dicit. Et quia prae angustia temporis non poterant explere, mox transacto sabbato, idest occidente sole, ut operandi licentia redit, festinaverunt emere aromata, sicut Marcus dicit hic, ut venientes mane ungerent corpus Iesu; neque vespere sabbati, praeoccupante iam noctis articulo, monumentum adire valuerunt; unde sequitur et valde mane una sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentum, orto iam sole
Severian of Gabala
Mulieres hoc loco feminea devotione discurrunt, quae non ut viventi fidem, sed ut mortuo unguenta deferunt ad sepulcrum; et ut sepulto parant moeroris obsequia, non ut resurgenti praeparant divinorum gaudia triumphorum
Theophylactus
Non enim magnitudinem atque dignitatem divinitatis Christi sapiunt. Venerunt autem iuxta consuetudinem Iudaeorum ungere corpus Christi, ut scilicet maneret odoriferum, et ne humiditate scaturiret: nam aromata virtutem habent desiccativam, humiditatem corporis absorbentia: unde incorruptum corpus conservant
Gregorius in Evang
Nos autem in eum qui est mortuus credentes, si odore virtutum referti cum opinione bonorum operum dominum quaerimus, ad monumentum illius cum aromatibus venimus. Sequitur et valde mane una sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentum orto iam sole
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Quod Lucas dicit: valde diluculo, et Ioannes: mane cum adhuc tenebrae essent, hoc intelligitur Marcus dicere valde mane oriente iam sole, idest cum caelum ab orientis parte albesceret, quod fit utique solis orientis vicinitate. Eius enim est ille fulgor, qui nomine aurorae appellari solet; ideo non repugnat ei qui ait: cum adhuc tenebrae essent. Die quippe surgente aliquae reliquiae tenebrarum tanto minus sunt quanto magis oritur lux; nec accipiendum est quod ait valde mane orto iam sole, tamquam sol ipse iam videretur super terram; sed de proximo adveniente in has partes sole, idest ortu suo iam caelum illuminare incipiente
Hieronymus
Valde ergo mane dicit, quod alius Evangelista dicit diluculo. Diluculum autem est inter tenebras noctis et diei claritatem; in qua salus humani generis provenit, felici vicinitate in Ecclesia declaranda, more solis, qui proxima luce consurgens roseam praemittit auroram, ut gratiam praeclari splendoris praeparatis oculis possit intueri quando tempus dominicae resurrectionis illuxit, ut tunc laudes Christi tota caneret, secundum exemplum feminarum, Ecclesia, quando genus humanum exemplo suae resurrectionis animavit, quando vitam praestitit, et lumen credulitatis infudit
Beda
Sicut autem quod valde mane mulieres venerunt ad monumentum, iuxta historiam magnus fervor caritatis ostenditur, ita iuxta intellectum mysticum nobis datur exemplum, ut illuminata facie, discussisque vitiorum tenebris, odorem bonorum operum domino et orationum suavitatem studeamus offerre
Theophylactus
Dicit autem una sabbatorum, idest prima dierum hebdomadae: sabbata namque dies hebdomadae nuncupantur, una vero dicitur prima
Beda
Vel prima sabbatorum prima dies est a die sabbatorum, idest requietionum, quae in sabbatis custodiebantur. Sequitur et dicebant ad invicem: quis revolvet nobis lapidem ab ostio monumenti?
Severian of Gabala
Obscuratum erat vestrum pectus, oculi clausi; et ideo patefacti sepulcri gloriam prius non videbatis; sequitur enim et respicientes viderunt revolutum lapidem
Beda
Quomodo lapis per Angelum revolutus sit, Matthaeus sufficienter exponit. Haec revolutio lapidis mystice reserationem sacramentorum Christi, quae velamine litterae legalis tenebantur, insinuat: lex enim lapide scripta est. Sequitur erat quippe magnus valde
Severian of Gabala
Et plus iam magnus merito quam forma, qui creatoris mundi corpus et claudere et operire sufficit
Gregorius in Evang
Mulieres autem Angelos vident, quae cum aromatibus venerunt: quia illae mentes supernos cives aspiciunt quae cum virtutibus ad sancta desideria veniunt; unde sequitur et introeuntes in monumentum, viderunt iuvenem sedentem in dextris, coopertum stola candida, et obstupuerunt
Theophylactus
Si Matthaeus dicit Angelum sedere super lapidem, Marcus vero, quod mulieres introeuntes monumentum viderunt sedentem iuvenem, non mireris: nam quae viderunt prius sedentem super lapidem, ipsum etiam intus in monumento postmodum viderunt
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Aut intelligamus Matthaeum tacuisse de illo Angelo quem intrantes viderunt, Marcum vero de illo quem foris super lapidem sedentem viderunt; ut duos viderint, et a duobus singillatim audierint quae dixerunt Angeli de Iesu: aut certe intrantes in monumentum in aliqua septa maceriae debemus accipere, qua communitum locum tunc fuisse credibile est in aliquo spatio ante petram; qua excisa locus factus fuerat sepulturae, ut ipsum viderint in eodem spatio sedentem a dextris, quem dicit Matthaeus sedentem super lapidem
Theophylactus
Quidam autem dicunt, quod aliae fuerunt mulieres quae dicuntur a Matthaeo, aliae quae a Marco; sed Maria Magdalena sequebatur omnes, fervidam festinationem habens et ardentem affectum
Severian of Gabala
Introierunt ergo mulieres ad sepulcrum, ut consepultae Christo, Christo consurgerent de sepulcro; vident iuvenem, ut cernerent nostrae resurrectionis aetatem: quia nescit resurrectio senectutem; et ubi nasci morique homo nescit, ibi aetas nec admittit detrimenta, nec indiget incrementis: unde iuvenem, non senem, non infantem, sed iucundam aetatem viderunt
Beda
Viderunt autem iuvenem sedentem in dextris, idest ad meridianam partem loci illius ubi positum erat: corpus enim quod supinum iacens, caput habebat ad occasum, dextram necesse erat habere ad Austrum
Gregorius in Evang
Quid autem per sinistram nisi vita praesens; quid vero per dexteram nisi vita perpetua designatur? Quia igitur redemptor noster iam praesentis vitae corruptionem transierat, recte Angelus, qui nuntiare perennem eius vitam venerat, in dextra sedebat
Severian of Gabala
Vident etiam iuvenem sedentem a dextris, quia resurrectio recipit nil sinistrum. Vident etiam coopertum stola candida. Stola ista non est ex mortali vellere, sed ex virtute vitali splendens caelesti lumine, non colore terreno, dicente propheta: amictus lumine sicut vestimento; et de iustis Matthaeus: tunc iusti fulgebunt sicut sol
Gregorius in Evang
Vel stola candida coopertus apparuit, quia festivitatis nostrae gaudia nuntiavit: candor etenim vestis splendorem nostrae denuntiat solemnitatis
Hieronymus
Vestis etiam candida vera laetitia est, hoste depulso regnoque adepto, rege pacis quaesito et invento, et numquam dimisso. Hic igitur iuvenis formam resurrectionis timentibus mortem ostendit. Quod autem obstupuerunt, id est quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, quae praeparavit Deus diligentibus se. Sequitur qui dicit illis: nolite expavescere
Gregorius
Ac si dicat: paveant illi qui non amant adventum supernorum civium; pertimescant qui carnalibus desideriis pressi ad eorum societatem pertingere se posse desperant; vos autem cur pertimescitis, quae vestros concives videtis?
Hieronymus
Non enim est timor in caritate. Quid expavescerent quae invenerunt quem quaesierunt?
Gregorius
Sed iam quid Angelus subiungit audiamus: Iesum quaeritis Nazarenum. Iesus Latino eloquio salutaris, idest salvator, interpretatur. At vero tunc multi Iesus dici poterant, nec tamen substantialiter, sed nuncupative; ideo et locus subiungitur, ut de quo Iesu dictum sit manifestetur: Nazarenum; et causam protinus subdit: crucifixum
Theophylactus
Non enim erubescit crucem: in hac namque salus hominum est, et beatorum principium
Hieronymus
Radix autem amara crucis evanuit; flos vitae cum fructibus erupit, idest, qui iacuit in morte, surrexit in gloria; unde addit surrexit, non est hic
Gregorius
Non est hic dicitur, per praesentiam carnis, qui tamen nusquam deerat per praesentiam maiestatis
Theophylactus
Et quasi dicat: vultis certificari de eius resurrectione? Subdit: ecce locus ubi posuerunt eum: propter hoc enim et revolverat lapidem, ut locum ostenderet
Hieronymus
Ostenditur autem immortalitas mortalibus ad gratiarum actionem debitam, ut intelligamus quid fuerimus, et sciamus quid futuri erimus. Sequitur sed ite, dicite discipulis eius et Petro, quia praecedet vos in Galilaeam. Mulieribus dicitur ut nuntient apostolis: quia per mulierem mors annuntiata est, per mulierem vita resurgens. Dicit autem specialiter et Petro, quia se indignum iudicavit discipulatu, cum ter negavit magistrum; sed peccata praeterita non nocent, quando non placent
Gregorius
Si autem hunc Angelus non nominatim exprimeret, qui magistrum negaverat, venire inter discipulos non auderet. Vocatur ergo ex nomine, ne desperaret ex negatione
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Quod autem dicit praecedet vos in Galilaeam; ibi eum videbitis sicut dixit vobis, videtur hoc sonare: quod Iesus non erat demonstraturus se discipulis post resurrectionem nisi in Galilaea; quam demonstrationem nunc ipse Marcus commemoravit; quod enim dixit mane prima sabbati apparuit Mariae Magdalene (...). Post haec duobus euntibus in villam, factum est in Ierusalem ipso die resurrectionis; deinde venit ad ultimam manifestationem, quam factam scimus in monte oliveti non longe a Ierusalem. Numquam igitur commemorat Marcus impletum quod ab Angelo praenuntiatum esse testatur. Matthaeus vero nullum alium locum omnino commemorat, ubi discipuli, postquam surrexit, viderint dominum, nisi in Galilaea, secundum Angeli praedicationem. Sed cum non sit expressum quando id futurum esset, utrum primum antequam alibi ab eis visus esset, idque ipsum quod discipulos Matthaeus dicit iisse in Galilaeam in montem, non exprimit diem nec narrandi ordinem; non adversatur quidem Matthaeus narrationibus ceterorum; sed dat eas intelligendi atque accipiendi locum. Verumtamen quod dominus non ibi primum se demonstraturus erat, sed in Galilaea, ubi postea visus est, se videndum mandavit, quemvis fidelem facit intentum ad quaerendum in quo mysterio dictum intelligatur
Gregorius
Galilaea namque transmigratio interpretatur. Iam quippe redemptor noster a passione ad resurrectionem, a morte ad vitam transmigraverat; et nos resurrectionis eius gloriam post laeti videbimus, si modo a vitiis ad virtutum celsitudinem transmigramus. Qui ergo in sepulcro nuntiatur, in transmigratione ostenditur: quia is qui in mortificatione carnis agnoscitur, in transmigratione mentis videtur
Hieronymus
Brevis ergo sententia in syllabis, sed ingens in quantitate promissio. Ibi est gaudii nostri fons, et salutis aeternae origo praeparata. Ibi congregantur dispersiones, et sanantur contriti corde. Ibi, inquit, eum videbitis, sed non sicut vidistis
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Significatur etiam quod gratia Christi de populo Israel erat transmigratura ad gentes, a quibus apostoli nullo modo praedicantes suscipientur, nisi eis viam dominus in eorum cordibus praeveniens praeparasset; et hoc est: praecedet vos in Galilaeam: ibi eum videbitis, id est, ibi membra eius invenietis. Sequitur at illae exeuntes, fugerunt de monumento: invaserat enim eas tremor et pavor
Theophylactus
Idest stupor propter visionem Angeli, et admirationem resurrectionis
Severian of Gabala
Angelus quidem sedet in monumento, de monumento fugiunt mulieres; quia ille de caelesti substantia confidit, turbantur istae de conditione terrena. Sepulcrum, qui mori non potest, timere nescit; mulieres autem et de praesenti facto tremunt, et sepulcrum ut mortales adhuc mortaliter expavescunt
Hieronymus
Hoc etiam dicitur de futura vita, in qua fugiet dolor et gemitus. Imitantur etiam mulieres ante resurrectionem omnia quae faciunt post resurrectionem, fugientes mortem et pavorem. Sequitur et nemini quicquam dixerunt: timebant enim
Theophylactus
Aut propter Iudaeos aut timore visionis detentae tacebant hoc quod audierant
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Quaeri autem potest quemadmodum hoc dicat Marcus, cum dicat Matthaeus: et exierunt cito de monumento cum timore et gaudio magno, currentes nuntiare discipulis eius, nisi intelligamus ipsorum Angelorum nemini ausas fuisse aliquid dicere, idest respondere ad ea quae ab illis audierant; aut certe custodibus quos iacentes viderunt: nam illud gaudium quod Matthaeus commemorat, non repugnat timori de quo Marcus dicit: debuimus enim utrumque in illarum animo factum intelligere, etiam si Matthaeus de timore non diceret. Cum vero ipse dicat: exierunt cito de monumento cum timore et gaudio magno, nihil ex hac re quaestionis remanere permittit
Severian of Gabala
Signanter etiam dicitur, quod nemini quicquam dixerunt: quia mulieribus audire, non loqui datum est; discere, non docere
16:9
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Evan. iii. 25
Now we must consider how the Lord appeared after the resurrection. For Mark says, Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
John tells us most fully how and when this appearance took place. But the Lord rose in the morning from the sepulchre in which He had been laid in the evening, that those words of the Psalm might be fulfilled, Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Ps. 30:5)
Theophylact † 1107
Or else put a stop at, Now when Jesus was risen, and then read, early the first day of the week he appeared, &c.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
For as Samson at midnight not only left Gaza, but also carried away the gates of it, so also our Redeemer rising before the light, did not only come out free from hell, but destroyed also the very gates of hell. 1But Mark here testifies that seven devils were cast out of Mary; and what is meant by seven devils save all vices? for as by seven days is understood all time, so by the number seven 2 a whole is fitly figured.
Theophylact † 1107
But Mary had seven devils, because she was filled with all vices. Or else, by seven devils are meant seven spirits contrary to the seven virtues, as a spirit without fear, without wisdom, without understanding, and whatsoever else is opposed to the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Pseudo-Jerome
Again, He is shewn to her, out of whom He had cast seven devils, because harlots and publicans shall go before the synagogue into the kingdom of heaven, as the thief reached it before the Apostles.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
In the beginning also woman brought man into sin, now she, who first tasted death, first sees the resurrection, lest she should have to bear the reproach of perpetual guilt amongst men; and she who had been the channel of guilt to man, now has become the first channel of grace. For it goes on: And she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept.
Pseudo-Jerome
They mourn and weep because they had not yet seen, but after a short time they shall receive a consolation. For blessed are they that weep now, for they shall be comforted.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Fitly too is this woman, who was the first to announce the joy of our Lord’s resurrection, said to have been cured of seven devils, lest any one worthily repenting of his sins should despair of pardon for what he had done, and that it might be shewn that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. (Rom. 5:20)
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
Mary brings the news, not now as a woman, but in the person of the Church, so that, as above woman was silent, here as the Church she might bring tidings and speak. There follows, And they when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, believed not.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Hom. in Evan. xxix.
That the disciples were slow in believing our Lord’s resurrection was not so much a weakness of theirs as it is our strength. For the resurrection itself through their doubts was manifested by many proofs; and whilst we read and acknowledge them, what do we but become firmer through their doubting? There follows, After this he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went to a farm house.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
Luke relates the whole story respecting these two, one of whom was Cleophas, but Mark here touches but slightly upon it. That village of which Luke speaks may without absurdity be supposed to be what is here called a farm house, and indeed in some Greek manuscripts it is called the country. But by this name are understood not only villages, but also boroughs and country towns, because they are without the city, which is the head and mother of all the rest. That which Mark expresses by the Lord’s appearance in another form, is what Luke means by saying that their eyes were holden that they could not know him. For something was upon their eyes, which was allowed to remain there, until the breaking of bread.
Severian of Gabala † AD 408 Chrysologus ubi sup.
But let no one suppose that Christ changed the form of His face by His resurrection, but the form is changed when of mortal it becomes immortal, so that this means that He gained a glorious countenance, not that He lost the substance of His countenance. But He was seen of two; because faith in the resurrection is to be preached and shewn to two people, that is, the Gentiles and the Jews. There follows, And they went and told it unto the residue, neither believed they them. How are we to understand the words of Mark compared with the account of Luke, that they then said, The Lord hath risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon, (Luke 24:34) if we do not suppose that there were some there who would not believe?
Theophylact † 1107
For he does not say this of the eleven, but of some others, whom He calls the residue.
Pseudo-Jerome
But in a mystic sense we may understand that faith here labours, leading the active life, but there it reigns secure in the contemplative vision. Here we see His face through a glass, there we shall see the truth face to face, wherefore He was shewn to them as they were walking, that is, labouring, in another form. And when it was told, the disciples did not believe, because they saw, like Moses, that which was not enough for them, for he said, Shew me thyself; (Exod. 33:18. Sept.) forgetting his flesh, he prays in this life for that which we hope for in the life to come.
The Latin text
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Iam post resurrectionem quemadmodum apparuit dominus considerandum est: dicit enim Marcus: surgens autem mane prima sabbati apparuit primo Mariae Magdalene, de qua eiecerat septem Daemonia
Beda
Haec apparitio quomodo et ubi facta sit, Ioannes plenissime docet. Surrexit autem dominus mane de monumento, in quo sero iam facto erat depositus, ut adimpleretur illud Psalmistae: ad vesperam demorabitur fletus, et ad matutinum laetitia
Theophylactus
Vel aliter. Quod dicit surgens Iesus, ibi puncta; deinde dicas mane prima sabbati apparuit primo Mariae Magdalene
Gregorius in Evang
Ut enim Samson media nocte non solum de Gaza exiit, sed etiam portas tulit, sic et redemptor noster ante lucem resurgens non solum liber de Inferno exiit, sed ipsa etiam Inferni claustra destruxit. De Maria autem hic Marcus septem Daemonia eiecta fuisse testatur; et quid septem Daemonia, nisi universa vitia significant? Quia enim septem diebus omne tempus comprehenditur, recte septenario numero universitas figuratur
Theophylactus
Septem ergo Daemonia Maria habuit, quae universis vitiis plena fuit. Aut septem Daemonia septem virtutibus spiritus contrarios dicit, ut spiritus absque timore, absque sapientia, absque intellectu, et quaecumque alia donis spiritus sancti opponuntur
Hieronymus
Ei autem de qua eiecerat septem Daemonia, primo ostenditur: quia meretrices et publicani praecedent synagogam in regnum Dei, ut latro praecessit apostolos
Beda
In principio etiam mulier inductrix culpae viro fuit; nunc quae mortem primo gustavit, resurrectionem primo videt, ne perpetui reatus apud viros opprobrium sustineret; et quae viro culpam transfuderat, transfudit et gratiam; nam sequitur illa vadens nuntiavit his qui cum eo fuerant, lugentibus et flentibus
Hieronymus
Flent et lugent qui nondum viderunt; sed non post multum consolabuntur: beati enim qui lugent nunc, quoniam ipsi consolabuntur
Beda
Recte autem haec mulier, quae laetitiam dominicae resurrectionis prima nuntiavit, a septem Daemonibus curata esse memoratur, ne quisquam digne poenitens de admissorum venia desperaret, et ut ubi abundavit peccatum, superabundasse et gratia monstraretur
Severian of Gabala
Nuntiat autem Maria; sed iam non feminam, sed Ecclesiam gestans: ut supra sicut femina tacebat, hic in Ecclesia et nuntiet et loquatur. Sequitur et illi audientes quia viveret, et visus esset ab ea, non crediderunt
Gregorius in Evang
Quod resurrectionem dominicam discipuli tarde crediderunt, non tam illorum infirmitas quam nostra, ut ita dicam, futura firmitas fuit. Ipsa namque resurrectio illis dubitantibus per multa argumenta monstrata est: quae dum nos legentes agnoscimus, quid aliud quam de eorum dubitatione solidamur? Sequitur post haec autem duobus ex his ambulantibus ostensus est in alia effigie euntibus in villam
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
De istis duobus, quorum unus erat Cleophas, Lucas totum narrat, sed Marcus hic breviter perstringit. Castellum quippe illud de quo Lucas loquitur, non absurde accipimus etiam villam potuisse appellari; et in codicibus quidem Graecis magis agrum invenimus quam villam; agri autem nomine non castella tantum, verum etiam municipia et coloniae solent vocari extra civitatem, quae quasi caput et mater est ceterarum. Quod autem ait Marcus, eis in alia effigie dominum apparuisse, hoc Lucas dicit quod eorum oculi tenebantur, ne agnoscerent eum. Oculis enim eorum acciderat aliquid, quod ita manere permissum est usque ad fractionem panis
Severian of Gabala
Nemo autem putet Christum sua resurrectione sui vultus effigiem commutasse. Sed mutatur effigies dum efficitur ex mortali immortalis; ut hoc sit acquisivisse vultus gloriam, non vultus substantiam perdidisse. Duobus autem visus est, quia duobus populis, idest gentibus et Iudaeis resurrectionis fides praedicanda monstratur. Sequitur et illi euntes nuntiaverunt ceteris; nec illis crediderunt. Quod Marcus dicit nuntiaverunt ceteris, nec illis crediderunt, cum Lucas dicat, quod iam inde loquebantur vere resurrexisse dominum, et Simoni apparuisse, quid intelligendum est, nisi aliquos ibi fuisse qui nollent credere?
Theophylactus
Non enim de undecim apostolis hoc dicit, sed de quibusdam aliis quos ceteros nominat
Hieronymus
Mystice autem intelligitur, quod fides hic laborat agens activam vitam, illic contemplativa secura visione regnat; hic per speculum contuemur imaginem, illic facie ad faciem videbimus veritatem: unde ambulantibus, idest laborantibus, ostensus est in alia effigie; et nuntiantibus non est creditum, dum, sicut Moyses, viderunt quod non sufficiebat ei, qui dicit: ostende mihi temetipsum: oblitus enim carnis suae, postulat in vita ista quod speramus in futura
16:14
The Gloss non occ.
Mark, when about to finish his Gospel, relates the last appearance of our Lord to His disciples after His resurrection, saying,1 For the last time he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat. (Acts 1:4, 9)
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
We should observe that Luke says in the Acts, As he2 was eating with them he commanded that they should not depart from Jerusalem, and shortly afterwards, while they beheld he was taken up. For He ate, and then ascended, that by the act of eating, the truth of the flesh might be declared; wherefore it is also here said, that he appeared to them for the last time as they sat at meat.
Pseudo-Jerome
But He appeared when all the eleven were together, that all might be witnesses, and relate to all men what they had seen and heard in common. It goes on: And upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them who had seen him after his resurrection.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
But how was this done the last time? The last occasion on which the Apostles saw the Lord upon earth happened forty days after the resurrection; but would He then have upbraided them for not believing those who had seen Him risen, when they themselves had so often seen Him after His resurrection? It remains therefore that we should understand that Mark wished to say it in few words, and said for the last time, because it was the last time that He shewed Himself that day, as night was coming on, when the disciples returned from the country into Jerusalem, and found, as Luke says (Luke 24:33.), the eleven and those who were with them, speaking together concerning the resurrection of our Lord. But there were some there who did not believe; when these then were sitting at meat, (as Mark says,) and were still speaking, (as Luke relates,) The Lord stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you; (Luke 24:36) as Luke and John say. (John 20:19) The rebuke therefore which Mark here mentions, must have been amongst those words, which Luke and John say, that the Lord at that time spoke to the disciples. But another question is raised, how Mark says that He appeared when the eleven sat at meat, if the time was the first part of the night on the Lord’s day, when John plainly says that Thomas was not with them, who, we believe, had gone out, before the Lord came in to them, after those two had returned from the village, and spoken with the eleven, as we find in Luke’s Gospel. But Luke in his relation leaves room for supposing that Thomas went out first, while they spoke these things, and that the Lord entered afterwards; Mark however from his saying, for the last time he appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat, forces us to believe that he was there, unless indeed, though one of them was absent, he chose to call them the eleven, because the company of the Apostles was then called by this number, before Matthias was chosen into the place of Judas. Or if this be a harsh way of understanding it, let us understand that it means that after many appearances, He shewed Himself for the last time, that is, on the fortieth day, to the Apostles, as they sat at meat, and that since He was about to ascend from them, He rather wished on that day to reprove them for not having believed those who had seen Him risen before seeing Him themselves, because after His ascension even the Gentiles on their preaching were to believe a Gospel, which they had not seen. And so the same Mark immediately after that rebuke says, And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. And lower down, He that believeth not shall be condemned. Since then they were to preach this, were not they themselves to be first rebuked, because before they saw the Lord they had not believed those to whom He had first appeared?
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
Another reason also why our Lord rebuked His disciples, when He left them as to His bodily presence, was, that the words which He spoke on leaving them might remain more deeply impressed upon the hearts of His hearers.
Pseudo-Jerome
But He rebukes their want of faith, that faith might take its place; He rebukes the hardness of their stony heart, that the fleshy heart, full of love, might take its place.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
After rebuking the hardness of their hearts, let us hear the words of advice which He speaks. For it goes on: Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Every man must be understood by every creature; for man partakes something of every creature; he has existence as have stones, life as trees, feeling as animals, understanding as have Angels. For the Gospel is preached to every creature, because he is taught by it, for whose sake all are created, whom all things are in some way like, and from whom therefore they are not alien. By the name of every creature also every nation of the Gentiles may be meant. For it had been said before, Go not into the way of the Gentiles. (Matt. 10:5) But now it is said, Preach the Gospel to every creature, so that the preaching of the Apostles which was thrust aside by Judæa, might be an assistance to us, since Judæa had haughtily rejected it, thus witnessing to her own damnation.
Theophylact † 1107
Or else; to every creature, that is, whether believing or unbelieving. It goes on: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. For it is not enough to believe, for he who believeth and is not baptized, but is a catechumen, has not yet attained to perfect salvation.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
But perhaps some one may say in himself, I have already believed, I shall be saved. He says what is true, if he keeps his faith by works; for that is a true faith, which does not contradict by its deeds what it says in words. There follows: But he that believeth not shall be damned.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
What shall we say here about infants, who by reason of their age cannot yet believe; for as to older persons there is no question. In the Church then of our Saviour children believe by others, as also they drew from others the sins which are remitted to them in baptism. It goes on: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents.
Theophylact † 1107
That is, they shall scatter before them serpents, whether intellectual or sensible, as it is said, Ye shall tread upon serpents and scorpions, which is understood spiritually. But it may also mean sensible serpents, as when Paul received no hurt from the viper. There follows: And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. (Luke 10:19) We read of many such cases in history, for many persons have drank poison unhurt, by guarding themselves with the sign of Christ. It goes on: They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recorer.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
Are we then without faith because we cannot do these signs? Nay, but these things were necessary in the beginning of the Church, for the faith of believers was to be nourished by miracles, that it might increase. Thus we also, when we plant groves, pour water upon them, until we see that they have grown strong in the earth; but when once they have firmly fixed their roots, we leave off irrigating them. These signs and miracles have other things which we ought to consider more minutely. For Holy Church does every day in spirit what then the Apostles did in body; for when her Priests by the grace of exorcism lay their hands on believers, and forbid the evil spirits to dwell in their minds, what do they, but cast out devils? And the faithful who have left earthly words, and whose tongues sound forth the Holy Mysteries, speak a new language; they who by their good warnings take away evil from the hearts of others, take up serpents; and when they are hearing words of pestilent persuasion, without being at all drawn aside to evil doing, they drink a deadly thing, but it will never hurt them; whenever they see their neighbours growing weak in good works, and by their good example strengthen their life, they lay their hands on the sick, that they may recover. And all these miracles are greater in proportion as they are spiritual, and by them souls and not bodies are raised.
The Latin text
Glossa
Completurus evangelicam narrationem Marcus, novissimam apparitionem, qua Christus post resurrectionem discipulis apparuit, commemorat, dicens novissime autem recumbentibus illis undecim apparuit
Gregorius in Evang
Notandum autem quid Lucas in actibus referat dicens: convescens praecepit eis ab Hierosolymis ne discederent; et post pauca: videntibus illis elevatus est. Comedit enim et ascendit, ut videlicet per effectum comestionis veritas patesceret carnis: unde et hic dicitur, quod recumbentibus illis novissime apparuit
Hieronymus
Apparuit autem undecim simul congregatis, ut omnes testes sint, et enarrent omnibus quod communiter viderunt et audierunt. Sequitur et exprobravit incredulitatem eorum, et duritiam cordis: quia his qui viderant eum resurrexisse, non crediderunt
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Quomodo autem novissime hoc factum est? Novissimum quippe illud est quod dominum in terra apostoli viderunt, quod factum est quadragesima die post resurrectionem eius. Numquid nam tunc exprobraturus erat, quod non credidissent eis qui eum viderant resurrexisse, quando iam et ipsi post resurrectionem toties eum viderant? Restat igitur ut intelligamus, nunc Marcum breviter commemorare voluisse, et iam dixisse novissime, quia ipso die hoc novissimum fuit iam incipiente nocturno tempore, posteaquam discipuli de castello redierunt in Ierusalem, et invenerunt, sicut dicit Lucas, undecim, et qui cum illis erant colloquentes de resurrectione domini. Sed erant ibi utique non credentes. His ergo, sicut Marcus dicit, discumbentibus, et adhuc inde, sicut dicit Lucas, loquentibus, stetit in medio eorum dominus, et ait illis: pax vobis, sicut Lucas et Ioannes dicunt. Verbis itaque domini, quae tunc eum locutum esse discipulis, Lucas Ioannesque dixerunt, interponitur et illa exprobratio de qua Marcus hic dicit. Sed hoc rursus movet: quomodo discumbentibus undecim, dicit apparuisse Marcus, si illud tempus est diei dominici iam noctis initio; cum aperte Ioannes dicat non cum eis fuisse Thomam, quem credimus exiisse inde antequam dominus ad eos intraret, posteaquam illi duo redeuntes de castello cum ipsis undecim collocuti sunt, sicut apud Lucam invenitur. Sed Lucas in sua narratione dat locum quo possit intelligi, dum haec loquerentur, prius inde exiisse Thomam, et postea dominum intrasse. Marcus autem qui dicit novissime discumbentibus illis undecim apparuit, etiam Thomam illic fuisse cogit fateri: nisi forte quamvis uno absente, undecim tamen voluit appellare, quia eadem tunc apostolica societas hoc numero nuncupabatur, antequam Mathias in locum Iudae subrogaretur. Aut si hoc durum est accipere, illud accipiamus, post multas demonstrationes eius, eum novissime recumbentibus undecim apparuisse, idest ipsa quadragesima die. Et quoniam iam erat ab eis ascensurus in caelum, hoc eis illo die magis exprobrare voluisse, quia his qui audierant eum resurrexisse, non crediderant, antequam ipsi eum viderent; cum utique post ascensionem suam praedicantibus Evangelium etiam gentes quae non viderunt fuerant crediturae: post illam quippe exprobrationem ait idem Marcus: et dixit eis: euntes in mundum universum; et infra: qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur. Hoc ergo praedicaturi, nonne ipsi primitus fuerant obiurgandi, qui antequam dominum vidissent, non crediderunt eis quibus prius apparuisset?
Gregorius in Evang
Idcirco etiam tunc dominus discipulos increpavit cum corporaliter reliquit, ut verba quae recedens diceret, in corde audientium arctius impressa remanerent
Hieronymus
Exprobrat autem incredulitatem, ut succedat credulitas: exprobrat duritiam cordis lapidei, ut succedat cor carneum caritate plenum
Gregorius
Increpata igitur eorum duritia, quid admonendo dicat audiamus; sequitur enim euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Omnis creaturae nomine significatur homo: omnis enim creaturae aliquid habet homo; habet namque commune esse cum lapidibus, vivere cum arboribus, sentire cum animalibus, intelligere cum Angelis. Omni enim creaturae praedicatur Evangelium, cum soli homini praedicatur; quia ille videlicet docetur, propter quem in terra cuncta creata sunt, et a quo omnia per quamdam similitudinem aliena non sunt. Potest etiam omnis creaturae nomine omnis natio gentium designari: ante enim dictum fuerat: in viam gentium ne abieritis; nunc autem dicitur praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae; ut scilicet prius a Iudaea apostolorum repulsa praedicatio, tunc nobis in adiutorium fieret, cum hanc illa ad damnationis suae testimonium superbe repulisset
Theophylactus
Vel omni creaturae, idest credenti et non credenti. Sequitur qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit. Non enim sufficit credere: nam qui credit et nondum est baptizatus, sed catechumenus, nondum est perfecte salutem adeptus
Gregorius
Fortasse autem unusquisque apud semetipsum dicat: ego iam credidi, salvus ero. Verum dicit, si fidem operibus teneat. Vera etenim fides est quae in hoc quod verbis dicit, operibus non contradicit. Sequitur qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur
Beda
Quid adhuc hic dicemus de parvulis, qui per aetatem adhuc credere non valent? Nam de maioribus nulla quaestio est. In Ecclesia enim salvatoris per alios parvuli credunt, sicut ex aliis ea quae illis in Baptismo peccata remittuntur pertraxerunt. Sequitur signa autem eos qui crediderint, haec sequentur: in nomine meo Daemonia eicient, linguis loquentur novis, serpentes tollent
Theophylactus
Hoc est, dispergent intellectuales, sicut illud Lucae: calcabitis super serpentes et scorpiones, intellectualiter intelligitur. Potest autem intelligi de sensibilibus serpentibus, sicut etiam Paulus a vipera nullum habuit nocumentum. Sequitur et si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocebit. Multa talia facta in historiis legimus: multos namque venena bibita Christi munita signaculo laedere non valebant. Sequitur super aegros manus imponent, et bene habebunt
Gregorius in Evang
Numquid autem quia ista signa non facimus, minime credimus? Sed haec necessaria in exordio Ecclesiae fuerunt; ut enim fides cresceret credentium, miraculis fuit nutrienda: quia et nos cum arbusta plantamus, tamdiu eis aquam fundimus, quousque ea in terra convaluisse videamus; at si semel radicem fixerint, a rigando cessamus. Habemus de his signis atque virtutibus quae adhuc subtilius considerare debeamus. Sancta quippe Ecclesia quotidie spiritualiter facit quod tunc per apostolos corporaliter faciebat: nam sacerdotes eius cum per exorcismi gratiam manum credentibus imponunt et habitare malignos spiritus in eorum mentibus contradicunt, quid aliud faciunt, nisi Daemonia eiciunt? Et fideles quique, qui iam saecularia verba derelinquunt, sancta autem mysteria insonant, linguis loquuntur novis: qui dum bonis suis exhortationibus malitiam de alienis cordibus auferunt, serpentes tollunt; et dum pestiferas suasiones audiunt, sed tamen ad operationem pravam minime pertrahuntur, mortiferum est quod bibunt; sed non eis nocebit qui, quoties proximos suos in bono opere infirmari conspiciunt, dum exemplo suae operationis illorum vitam roborant, super aegros manus imponunt ut bene habeant. Quae nimirum miracula tanto maiora sunt quanto spiritualia, et quanto per haec non corpora, sed animae suscitantur
16:19
Pseudo-Jerome
The Lord Jesus, who had descended from heaven to give liberty to our weak nature, Himself also ascended above the heavens; wherefore it is said, So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
By which words He seems to shew clearly enough that the foregoing discourse was the last that He spake to them upon earth, though it does not appear to bind us down altogether to this opinion. For He does not say, After He had thus spoken unto them, wherefore it admits of being understood not as if that was the last discourse, but that the words which are here used, After the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, might belong to all His other discourses. But since the arguments which we have used above make us rather suppose that this was the last time, therefore we ought to believe that after these words, together with those which are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, our Lord ascended into heaven.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
We have seen in the Old Testament that Elias was taken up into heaven. But the ethereal heaven is one thing, the aerial is another. The aerial heaven is nearer the earth, Elias then was raised into the aerial heaven, that he might be carried off suddenly into some secret region of the earth, there to live in great calmness of body and spirit, until he return at the end of the world, and pay the debt of death. We may also observe that Elias mounted up in a chariot, that by this they might understand that a mere man requires help from without. But our Redeemer, as we read, was not carried up by a chariot, not by angels, because He who had made all things was borne over all by His own power. We must also consider what Mark subjoins, And sat at the right hand of God, since Stephen says, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Now sitting is the attitude of a judge, standing of one fighting or helping. Therefore Stephen, when toiling in the contest, saw Him standing, whom he had for his helper; but Mark describes Him as sitting after His assumption into heaven, because after the glory of His assumption, He will in the end be seen as a judge.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Symbolo, 4
Let us not therefore understand this sitting as though He were placed there in human limbs, as if the Father sat on the left, the Son on the right, but by the right hand itself we understand the power which He as man received from God, that He should come to judge, who first had come to be judged. For by sitting we express habitation, as we say of a person, he sat himself down in that country for many years; in this way then believe that Christ dwells at the right hand of God the Father. For He is blessed and dwells in blessedness, which is called the right hand of the Father; for all is right hand there, since there is no misery. It goes on: And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with than, and confirming the word with signs and wonders.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Observe that in proportion as Mark began his history later, so he makes it reach in writing to more distant times, for he began from the commencement of the preaching of the Gospel by John, and he reaches in his narrative those times in which the Apostles sowed the same word of the Gospel throughout the world.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ubi sup.
But what should we consider in these words, if it be not that obedience follows the precept and signs follow the obedience? For the Lord had commanded them, Go into all the world preaching the Gospel, and, Ye shall be witnesses even unto the ends of the earth.
St Augustine † AD 430 Epist. cxcix. 12.
(Acts 1:8) But how was this preaching fulfilled by the Apostles, since there are many nations in which it has just begun, and others in which it has not yet begun to be fulfilled? Truly then this precept was not so laid upon the Apostles by our Lord, as though they alone to whom He then spoke were to fulfil so great a charge; in the same way as He says, Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, apparently to them alone; but who does not understand that the promise is made to the Catholic Church, which though some are dying, others are born, shall be here unto the end of the world?
Theophylact † 1107
But we must also know from this that words are confirmed by deeds as then in the Apostles works confirmed their words, for signs followed. Grant then, O Christ, that the good words which we speak may be confirmed by works and deeds, so that at the last, Thou working with us in word and in deed, we may be perfect, for Thine as is fitting is the glory both of word and deed. Amen.
The Latin text
Hieronymus
Dominus Iesus, qui de caelo descenderat ad liberandam infirmitatis nostrae naturam, ipse etiam super caelos ascendit; unde dicitur et dominus quidem Iesus postquam locutus est eis, assumptus est in caelum
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
In quo satis videtur ostendere novissimum cum illis in terra praemissum habuisse sermonem, quamvis non omnimodo ad id coarctari videatur: non enim ait: postquam haec locutus est eis; unde admittit, si necessitas cogeret, non illam fuisse novissimam locutionem, sed ad omnia quae cum eis omnibus illis diebus locutus est, posse pertinere quod dictum est: postquam locutus est eis, assumptus est in caelum. Sed quia ea quae supra diximus, magis suadent novissimum diem fuisse, ideo post praemissam locutionem quam Marcus commemoravit, adiunctis etiam illis verbis quae commemorantur in actibus apostolorum, credendum est assumptum esse dominum in caelum
Gregorius in Evang
In veteri testamento cognovimus quod Elias sit raptus in caelum. Sed aliud est caelum aethereum, aliud caelum aereum. Caelum quippe aereum terrae est proximum. In caelum itaque aereum Elias sublevatus est, ut in secretam quamdam regionem terrae repente duceretur, ubi in magna iam carnis et spiritus quiete viveret, quoadusque ad finem mundi redeat, et mortis debitum solvat. Notandum quoque est, quod Elias in curru legitur ascendisse, ut videlicet aperte illis demonstraretur, quia homo purus adiutorio indigebat alieno. Redemptor autem noster non curru, non Angelis sublevatus legitur: quia qui fecerat omnia, super omnia sua virtute ferebatur. Considerandum vero nobis est, quod Marcus subdit et sedet a dextris Dei; cum Stephanus dicat: video caelos apertos et filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei. Sed sedere iudicantis est, stare vero pugnantis vel adiuvantis. Stephanus ergo in laboris certamine positus stantem vidit, quem adiutorem habuit; sed hunc post assumptionem Marcus sedere describit, quia post assumptionis suae gloriam iudex in fine videbitur
Augustinus de symbolo
Sessionem igitur istam non accipiamus, quasi sit in humanis membris positus; tamquam pater sedeat in sinistra, et filius sedeat a dextris; sed ipsam dexteram intelligimus potestatem quam accepit ille homo a Deo, ut veniat iudicaturus qui primo venerat iudicandus. Sedere enim habitare intelligitur; quomodo dicimus de quocumque homine: in illa patria sedit per tres annos, sic ergo credite habitare Christum in dextera Dei patris. Beatus enim est, et habitat in beatitudine, quae dextera patris vocatur: ibi enim omnis dextera est, quia nulla est ibi miseria. Sequitur illi autem profecti praedicaverunt ubique, domino cooperante, et sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis
Beda
Nota, quod Marcus Evangelista Evangelium suum quanto inchoavit tardius, tanto in longinquiora tempora scribendo porrexit: ab initio enim evangelicae praedicationis quod a Ioanne factum est, coepit, et ad illud usque tempus narrando pervenit quo apostoli idem Evangelii verbum per totum orbem seminaverunt
Gregorius
Quid autem in his considerandum est nisi quod praeceptum obedientia, obedientiam vero signa secuta sunt? Praeceperat enim dominus: euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium; et in actibus: eritis mihi testes usque ad extremum terrae
Augustinus ad Hesychium
Quo autem pacto ab apostolis est praedicatio ista completa, quando usque adhuc sunt gentes in quibus modo coepit, et in quibus nondum coepit impleri? Non utique hoc a domino sic mandatum est apostolis, tamquam ipsi soli, quibus tunc loquebatur, tantum munus fuerint impleturi; sed sicut eis solis videtur dixisse: ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi: quod tamen eum universae Ecclesiae promisisse, quae, aliis morientibus, aliis nascentibus, hic usque in saeculi consummationem futura est, quis non intelligat?
Theophylactus
Sciendum est autem et hic, quod sermo per opera confirmatur, sicut in apostolis tunc operationes confirmabant sermonem, sequentibus signis. Fiat autem, o Christe, ut nostri sermones quos de virtute dicimus, per opera confirmentur et actus; ut tandem simus perfecti te cooperante in omnibus verbis et operibus: quia te decet et sermonum et operum gloria. Amen
16:1
1 An angel declareth the resurrection of Christ to three women. 9 Christ himself appeareth to Mary Magdalene: 12 to two going into the country: 14 then to the apostles, 15 whom he sendeth forth to preach the gospel: 19 and ascendeth into heaven.
Ver. 1. And when the Sabbath was past: that is to say, at the beginning of the night before the Lord's day. "After a sad week comes the radiance of a happy day," says the Scholiast.
Mary of Jacob (Vulg.), i.e., Mary, the mother of James the Less and Jude, as the Arabic version gives it, and the wife of Cleopas.
That coming they might anoint Jesus. According to the custom of the Jews, says Theophylact; that the body might be preserved sweet. Spices are of a drying nature. They did not realise the dignity of Christ's Divinity, nor His resurrection. But they loved Him very tenderly, both as a man and a prophet, although now dead. Ver. 6. Who was crucified: He is risen; He is not here. "The angel is not ashamed of the cross," says Theophylact, "for in it is the salvation of men." The Interlinear says, "The cross's bitter root is gone; the flower of life with its fruits, which lay in death, has arisen in glory."
16:7
Go, tell His disciples. "The women are bid," says the Interlinear, "to announce it to the apostles, because as by a woman (Eve) death was announced, by a woman it might be told that life had risen again."
And Peter. "That him whom a woman had made deny, a woman might make confess," says Druthmar. The Scholiast in S. Jerome adds that "Peter was named especially because he counted himself unworthy of being a disciple, because he had thrice denied his Master." And S. Gregory (Hom. 21, in Evang.) says, "If the angel had not named Peter, he would not have dared to come among the disciples. He is called, therefore, by name, that he might not despair." Ver. 8. For a trembling (of body) and fear (of mind) had seized them. Theophylact says, " έκστασις, that is, stupor, at the sight of the angel had come on them." But this astonishment was mingled with intense joy. For they were astounded and were glad at the wonderful things which they heard, even that Jesus their beloved was risen from the dead.
16:8
For they were afraid. Not only because of the vision of angels, but also "on account of the Jews," says Euthymius, "lest they should appear to have themselves stolen away Jesus; lest they should kill them when they heard that they had proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus: as shortly afterwards the Jews placed Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Lazarus in a ship without oars or sail, and sent them to what would have been certain destruction had not God brought them in safety to Marseilles." Ver. 9. Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. Mark adds this to show the power of repentance and love. With these was Magdalene the sinner so inflamed, that she deserved first to see Christ risen again, that from her sinners might learn not to despair, but vehemently to love; for so they shall surpass the Holy Innocents in grace and glory. So Bede, "Because where sin abounded, grace hath superabounded." Bede adds, "A woman was the beginner of transgression. A woman first tasted death, but in Magdalene woman first saw the resurrection, that woman might not bear the perpetual guilt of transgression among men." See what is said on Luk 8:2. Ver. 12. He appeared in another shape: Arabic, garment, i.e., of a traveller, as they were going into the country: Arabic, to the village; Gr. into the field, i.e., to a country-house at Emmaus. For, as S. Austin says (Consens. Evang.), "under the name of country not only villages, but towns and boroughs outside the capital, which was the mother city of all, were wont to be called." These disciples, therefore, were going from Jerusalem into the country, that is, into the neighbouring small town of Emmaus. This place was made a famous city by the Romans, and called Nicopolis, as a monument of their victory in the capture of Jerusalem. This appearance of Christ is the same as that related by S. Luke (Luk 24:13), as is plain from the circumstances, which are the same in both cases. So commentators generally. Euthymius alone thinks they were different, because Mark adds that the Apostles did not believe them when they told them that Christ was risen, whilst Luke intimates the contrary, that they did believe. But the answer is easy, that some believed, but others did not believe. Ver. 13. Neither did they believe them. This happened by the permission and providence of God. "For this their incredulity was not so much their weakness as it was to become our strength," says S. Gregory. "For the resurrection itself was made manifest to them by many proofs, when they doubted of it. And when we read and acknowledge these things, what else is it but to be confirmed by their doubting?" Ver. 14. At length He appeared to the eleven as they were at table. The Vulgate has novissime, last of all: Gr. ύστεζον. This was the last appearance of Christ on the day of the resurrection, for S. Mark only relates those appearances which took place on that day. You may say, But if so, He did not appear to the Eleven, but to the Apostles, for S. Thomas was absent. Wherefore Maldonatus thinks that this appearance was that which took place on the Sunday after the resurrection, when Thomas was present. But I say that they are here called the Eleven, although Thomas was absent, because the college of the Apostles after the treachery of Judas was reduced to eleven. That is why they are here called the Eleven, although Thomas was absent. Thus the Decemvirs were called by that name when gathered together, although one or two might be absent.
16:11
They did not believe. S. Jerome (lib. 2, cant. Pelag.) writes that in some Greek codices there is found added after these words as follows: "And they had content, saying, Substance is that world of iniquity which by means of evil spirits suffers not the true power of God to be apprehended: therefore now reveal Thy righteousness." But the Church has expunged all this, for it savours of the heresy of Manes and Montanus.
16:15
Ver. 15. And He said unto them, Go ye into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He said this not on Easter day, when He appeared to the Eleven as they sat at meat, but afterwards, when He showed Himself to them and others on a mountain of Galilee, as it is in S. Matt. xxviii. 16, &c. Or it may be that He committed this chief and peculiar office of preaching the Gospel to the Apostles more than once.
Go ye into the whole world, that is to say, not into Judæa only, as ye have done hitherto, but up and down in all directions throughout the world. For it does not seem probable that a few Apostles should have traversed and converted the whole world, especially because in America, lately discovered, no traces of the faith of Christ have been found.
Every creature, i.e., to all nations, as it is in Mat 28:19. Ver. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned. This saying of Christ is abused to support their heresies, 1st, by the Lutherans, to prove that faith alone without good works is sufficient to salvation. But I reply that the meaning of Christ, as Euthymius, Theophylact, and others have observed, is, he that believeth, &c., i.e., "he that, believing in Christ and receiving His baptism, has been washed from his sins, imbued with the grace of God, and sanctified, he shall be saved," understand, "if he die in that state, retaining the grace of God even unto death." But it is impossible for the baptized to continue in this state of grace if they do not those good works which the law of Christ commands. Also, in the name of faith, or faith and babtism, as the prime requisites, and which, at the beginning of the Church were chiefly to be inculcated upon the Gentiles, all other things consequent upon them must be understood, such as hope, charity, and good works, as I have shown at length in the introduction to S. Paul's Epistles. 2nd The Anabaptists infer from this saying of Christ that little children must not be baptized, because they cannot believe. But I answer, Christ is here speaking of adults. For only adults are able to believe, and all the preceding words apply to adults only. That little children ought to be baptized is plain from the perpetual tradition and practice of the Church, and from the words in S. John iii. 5, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless any one be born of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." S. Augustine adds, and reiterates in various passages, that these words of Christ do refer to infants also in a measure, for as they sinned by the will of Adam, not their own, so likewise they believe by the faith of the Church, in their parents, or those who present them for baptism, not by their own. 3rd The Calvinists gather from these words of Christ that baptism is not necessary for salvation, but that faith only is sufficient, because of it alone, they say, Christ subjoins, But he that believeth not shall be condemned. I reply that under the word believe, i.e., faith, baptism must be understood, which is the sacrament of faith, as well as all the other things which spring from and follow faith, as I have just said. For Mark, studying brevity, left it to the reader to gather from what he had said immediately previous, that these must be understood, or shall not be baptized. For otherwise the antithesis would be imperfect. To complete it we must read as follows, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not, or is not baptized, shall be condemned, For that baptism is necessary for salvation is plain from the words of Christ in S. John iii. 5, already cited. Ver. 18. They shall take up serpents. From the places which they infested, and as Euthymius says, "They, shall destroy them, or even take them up in their hands without harm," as S. Paul did the viper. Therefore the Arabic translates, They shall take up serpents in their hands.
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And if they shall drink any deadly thing. They shall drink poison unharmed, as the Apostles and many Saints have done.
They shall lay their hands upon the sick, &c. Observe that these signs were necessary in the Primitive Church for proving and strengthening the faith of Christ. Wherefore at that time almost all believers wrought miracles, at least of certain kinds; as, for example, the expulsion of devils from energumens. This is plain from Justin's Dialogue against Trypho, Tertullian (Apolog.), Lactantius, and others. Many also at that time received in baptism the gift of tongues. See Act 10:47, &c. Mystically: S. Bernard (Serm. de Ascens.) says, "The first work of faith which worketh by love is compunction of heart, by which, without doubt, devils are cast out when sins are rooted out of the heart. After that they who believe in Christ speak with new tongues when old things depart but of their mouth, and for the time to come they speak not with the old tongue of our first parents, who declined unto words of wickedness in making excuses for their sins. But when by compunction of the heart, and confession of the mouth, the former sins have been blotted out, in order that men may not backslide, and their latter end be worse than the beginning, it is needful that they take away serpents, that is, extinguish poisonous suggestions, &c. If they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. This is, when they feel the stings of concupiscence, they shall not consent. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. This is, they shall cover their evil affections by good works, and by this medicine they shall be healed." Ver. 19 He was taken up into heaven. By His divinity communicating to His body the qualities of lightness and fleetness. "O kingdom of eternal blessedness, where youth never groweth old, where beauty never waneth, nor love groweth cold, where health knows no sickness, where joy never decreaseth, where life hath no end" (S. Augustine, in Solil. c. 39). END OF VOL. III
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v. 1 et cum transisset sabbatum i. e. post occasum solis (Ca?.); nam simulac sabbatum esset finitum , commercia et negotia denuo fervere incipiebant, Maria Magdalene οἱ Maria lacobi et Salome emerunt aromata; id contrarium esse ei quod Lucas refert, Weiss contendit : revertentes paraverunt aromata et unguenta et sabbato quidem siluerunt secundum mandatum (Luc. 93,56). Sed nisi quis perfracte contrarietates exquirere vult, utraque narratio modo obvio ac facillime conciliatur. Utique non opus est ad id cum aliquibus (Grotius, Rosenmüller) ἡγόρασαν tamquam plusquamperfectum explicare. Narrat Lucas eas postquam reversae erant a sepulcro aromata parasse (ὑποστρέψασαι, non revertentes) ; narrat autem id eas sabbato non fecisse, sed religiose ab omni opere quievisse. Nihil est quod Marco contradicat. At dicunt secundum Lucam ante sabbatum, ex Marco post sabbatum emerunt aromata. Verum Lucas non dicit eas ante sabbatum emisse; vel quid contrarii in eo si vespere feriae sextae inceperint parare , dein sabbato transacto ad id quod paraverant aliud emunt? Aromata, odoramenta, herbae odoriferae admiscebantur unguenlis, ut venientes ungerent Iesum; ei enim quem viventem dilexerant etiam mortuo studio humanitatis obsequuntur (S. Greg. hom. 91 in evang. n. 29; Beda.). Tam parum intellectum est repctitum illud : tertia die resurget! « non sapiebant enim dignitatem divinitatis Christi nec resurrectionis eiusdem, sed amabant tenerrime Iesum ut hominem et prophetam , licet iam mortuum » (Lap.). est ex usu hebr. "TI etiam εἷς primus usurpari (cf. Matth. 98,1); uti nav hebr. (Lev. 33,15; 25,8) et in talmude et apud Syros etiam pro hebdomada adhibetur, ita τὰ «a66a-« et etiam τὸ σχδδατον (cf. Luc. 18,12) veniunt ad monumentum orto iam sole; etiam hic Marcum repunam vaíde mane et orto 1am sole non satis concordare. At notum est in Palaestina diluculum esse multo brevius quam apud nos, ita ut diluculo exorto statim etiam sol appareat. Quare va/de mane i. e. tempore diluculi sese dant in viam vel etiam prope sepulerum adveniunt; verum sine longiore intervallo regio iam-solis luce illustratur. Quod loan. 20,1 habetur : mane cum adhuc tenebrae essent, de diluculo erit explicandum ; nam mulieres per densas tenebras ambulasse et ad sepulcrum pervenisse tamen incredibile est, praesertim cum statim addatur visum esse lapidem sublatum. Facilius rem componit S. Aug. qui legit oriente iam sole (vide lect. var.)i. e. « cum coelum aborientis parte iam albesceret, quod non fit utique nisi solis orientis vicinitate, eius enim est ille fulgor qui nomine aurorae appellari solet; ideo non repugnat ille qui ait : cum adhuc tenebrae essent; die quippe surgente aliquae reliquiae tenebrarum tanto magis extenuantur, quanto magis oritur lux » (de cons. evang. 3,94. 65). Dum in via essent, sollicitae erant de lapide
a) Angelus annuntiat Iesum surrexisse 16,1.8. lam impletur illud quoque : et tertia die resurget (9,31; 10,34). Primus nuntius resurrectionis affertur piis mulieribus eaeque tamquam nuntiae ad discipulos mittuntur; constantia sua et pietate hoc praemium meruerunt;
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v. 3 e£ dicebant ad invicem , ita quoque explica πρὸς £xuvz; inter se, non : apud se dicebant vel cogitabant, quis revolvet nobis lapidem αὖ ostio monumenti? ergo de custodibus et sigillo apposito nihil audierunt; id quod minime mirum est; nam sabbato quo custodes positi sunt et lapis signatus (Matth. 27,62-66) illae ἡσύχασαν quieverunt, domi in luctu et moerore versatae sunt; discipuli quoque ob timorem Iudaeorum se domi continebant foribus clausis (cf. Ioan. 20,19); quis itaque eis talem attulisset nuntium? Quare ridiculum est quod aliqui ex ignoratione mulierum concludunt rem a Matthaeo narratam esse ad fabulas reiiciendam. Verum quam primum satis prope accedunt v. & respicientes ἀναθλέψασαι oculis elevatis, lugentes incedunt oculis demissis; ad locum sepulcri erat ascendendum, unde sursum aspicientes viderunt revolutum [apidem!; erat quippe magnus valde « reddit causam sollicitudinis mulierum » (A/ó.); ita addi quod proprie pertinet ad v. 3 merito admittitur (Dion. Schegg, Bisp. Schanz): alii explicant visum esse lapidem quia erat magnus valde (Fd. Keil, Weiss) iam a longinquo; sed a longinquo gratuito verbis additur; neque opus est cum Lamy statuere ellipsin : viderunt lapidem revolutum id quod commode ipsis evenit, quia magnum erat saxum. Pleraque sepulcra saxis excisa constant duobus, aliqua tribus, immo et septem cubiculis (Jahn, Archaeol. bibl. S 207). Cum Iosephus sepulcrum pro se excidendum curasset, duo cubicula sufficiebant; in interiore recondebatur corpus; spelunca prior pro vestibulo erat, de qua mentionem facit S. Cyrillus hier. sed quam iam non apparere dicit, eo quod praesentium ornamentorum instituendorum gratia (διὰ τὴν παροῦσαν εὐχοσμίαν, aedificium a Constantino erectum intellige) olim erasa sit anterior spelunca (cat. 14,9: M. 33,833);
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v. 5 et introeuntes 1n monumentum viderunt iuvenem sedentem in dextris, Mavcus describit eum ex specie et forma qua apparuit, Matthaeus eum nominat angelum designans naturam; angelus erat in specie adolescentis visus. « Viderunt angelum sedentem ad meridianam partem loci illius, ubi positum fuerat corpus Iesu; hoc namque erat in dextris » (Beda) ; coopertum stola candida , « stola candida coopertus apparuit quia festivitatis nostrae gaudia nuntiavit; candor enim vestis splendorem nostrae denuntiat sollemnitatis; nostrae dicamus an suae? sed ut fateamur verius, et suae dicamus et nostrae. Illa quippe Redemptoris nostri resurrectio et nostra festivitas fuit, quia nos ad immortalitatem reduxit et angelorum festivitas exstitit, quia nos revocando ad coelestia eorum numerum implevit. [n sua ergo et nostra festivitate angelus in albis vestibus apparuit, quia dum nos per resurrectionem dominicam ad superna reducimur, coelestis patriae damna reparantur » (S. Greg. in evang. hom. 21,2; Beda), vel ut Alb. ait, candor vestis significat amictum luminis quo Christus iam corporaliter indutus est. Apte quoque Dzon. in candida veste designari dicit angelicae puritatis splendorem et sanctitatem, quae vestiseum decuit qui erat nuntius verae lucis et civis supernae claritatis. Lux symbolum est beatitatis; Deus lumine amictus in s. litteris describitur; qui ergo Deo proxime assistunt et eius gloria fruuntur, merito apparent in veste candida; ad visionem autem coelestem quae adeo inexspectato illis offertur oóstupuerunt , ἐξεθχμθήθησαν attonitae εἰ perterrefactae sunt, uti accidere solet si ad hominem mortalem apparitio colestis accedit (cf. Is. 6,5 hebr. Ez. 2,1. Dan. 7,15; 10,7. Luc. 1,12. 29; 2,9). Blande eas alloquitur
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v. 6 quz dixit illis : nolite expavescere; Iesum quaeritis Nazarenum , etiam Iesus ipse se dicit Nazarenum Act. 99,8, quasi nomen ab aliis contemptui habitum sibi velit gloriae singulari vertere; cf. Matth. 2,23; simul eo nomine veritas vitae eius humanae asseritur; cruczfizum , non veretur eum vocare crucifixum ; nam in eo est salus hominum et omnium bonorum summa (Vct. Theoph. Lap.); evanuit radix amara crucis, flos enim vitae cum fructibus erupit (Ps. Hter.); non est hic; ecce locus ubt posuerunt eum; v. Ἴ sed ite, ἀλλὰ significat sermonem inceptum quasi abrumpi et celeriter transiri ad admonitionem (cf. Matth. 9,18. Marc. 9,91. Luc. 7,7. loan. 12, 97. Act. 10,90; vide Winer ἃὶ 53,7). Alii tacitam aliquam oppositionem fingunt vel ad unctionem quae iam non sit necessaria , vel ad ecce locus, ne scil. in eius contemplatione diutius versentur, sed statim tendant ad discipulos. At haec nimis subtiliter excogitata sunt ; dicite discipulis eius et Petro quia praecedit vos in Galilaeam , ibi eum videbitis; prima quasi resurgentis Domini cogitatio et cura est de discipulis; eo ipso quod promittit per angelum se ad eos venturum, tristes maxime consolatur, dolentes de fuga et erigit et se illos prisco amore etiamnum complecti ostendit. Si verba haec discipulis solatio et gaudio esse debebant, recte concludendum erit cum plurimis et Petro qui singulari ratione ex omnibus nominatur, cui itaque ea speciali quodam modo dicenda sunt, ob negationem omnem eximi timorem et Dominum eum ex nomine vocasse, quo certior esset de venia et amore Iesu (cf. S. Greg. hom. 91,5, Vict. Euth. Ps. Hier. Bed. Alb. Cai. Fab. Maid. Lap. Fil. Keil , Cook); huic rationi alii adiungunt alteram, designari Petrum et honorari tamquam primum et primatem inter discipulos (Theoph. Dion. Salm. Sylv. Calm.) et recentiores (Schegg, Reischl , Bisp. Schanz, Poelzl) solum hanc alteram rite afferri contendunt. Sed cum certe nuntius discipulis missus sit ad eos erigendos, consolandos, reddendos certiores de eodem quo antea in eos Iesu amore, non video cur cum ScAaaz dicendum sit priorem explicationem nunc merito generatim (?) reiici; immo altera potius posset esse suspecta, quia quae ad Petri dignitatem ct eminentiam spectant neque Petrus narrare neque Marcus litteris consignare consuevit , uti ipse Schanz p. 1* monet res praecipuas quae Petro honori sint desiderari in Marci evangelio. Aliter Wess, Petrum nominari quia specialis de eo ab aliis referatur Christi apparitio. Sed ut alia mittam, si Marcus id spectasset, debuit lacobum quoque nomine elferre, cum ipse quoque speciali apparitione honoratus sit (1 Cor. 15,17). Demum angelus id addit quo discipuli et mulieres quoque quae Iesum quasi in sepulcro perpetuo maneret ungere volunt leniter reprehenduntur : sicid. dixit vobis; cf. 15,28; dein saepius suam praedixerat resurrectionem futuram die tertio, ita ut ipsi synedristae eius praedictionis haberent. notitiam (Matth. 27,62). Quare merito innuit angelus quam parum discipuliet mulieres rationem habuerint verborum Christi : en haec omnia vobis dixit et vos! — Venerant mulieres ad sepulcrum cum luctu, dolore, sollicitudine; apparitione illa inexspectata et incognita perterrefactae sunt; quae angelum loquentem aw dierant, illis quoque accidunt minime opinantibus ; praeterea subita tot affectionum successione et mutatione exagitantur; quare ad animorum praesertim muliebrium conformationem plane consentaneum est quod sequitur
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v. 8 atzllae exeuntes fugerunt de monumento ; invaserat enim eos tremor et pavor τρόμος corpore tremebant, ἔκστασις vehementi agitatione quasi mentis abalienationem et stuporem passae; ef nemini quidquam dixerunt, timebant enim ; Marcus itaque refert quae mulieres eo ipso tempore expertae sunt et quae reduces a sepulcro omiserunt. Verum manifestum est mulieres sedata paulatim illa animorum agitatione et excitatione quae vehementissime in corpus quoque redundaverat, verba angeli secum perpendisse eaque intellexisse et de Iesu resurgente esse gavisas. Certum quoque est illud nemznt quidquam dixerunt ita esse intelligendum, ut quod ab angelo iussae erant non statim reduces a sepulcro, uti angeli verba praecipiunt, discipulis enarraverint. Eas postea de iis quae viderant et audierant etiam aliis narrasse et narrasse, praeserthim cum Magdalene αὐ Petrus et loannes sua quoque quae in sepulcri loco viderant exposuerint, quis in dubium vocabit? Unde facile patet Matthaeum et Lucam scribere potuisse illas exiisse cum timore et gaudio et nuntiasse haec omnia undecim et ceteris omnibus. Hi enim rem quae per eum diem gesta est succincte et summatim narrant; Marcus effert ea solum quae statim ab apparitione facta et omissa sunt. Quare distingue tempora et concordat narratio.
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v. 9 surgens autem mane prima sabbati i. e. prima die hebdomadis, etiam «z66zzov etsi rarius notione hebdomadis adhibetur; ceterum etiam lectio 42664 tov saepius ἢ. l. reperitur, apparuit primo Mariae Magdalene ἀνχατάς postquam surrexit ; disceptant utrum mane pruna sabbati veferri oporteat ad tempus resurrectionis designandum, an ad apparuit; illud adoptant Bed. Alb. Dion. Fab. Cai. Lamy, Schegg, Bisping, ReiscM, Schanz, Fil.; hoc Vict. Theoph. Euth. Mlud commendari videtur ipsa collocatione et eo quod apparuit adiecta alia determinatione primo ab antecedentibus seiungitur. Cui acceptioni utique non obstat quod Theoph. Euth. obiiciunt neminem scire posse tempus resurrectionis (cur enim Christus ea de re non potuisset loqui apostolis?), verum potius illud λίαν πρωΐ valde mane in v. 9; ne scil. videatur feminas ad sepulcrum venisse valde mane, ergo ante Christi resurrectionem quippe qui non surrexerit nisi mane. Sed dici potest cum ScAanz illud valde mane restringi cum addatur orto sole, dum hic mane dicatur absolute; « valde congrue dies aeternitatis gloriosorum corporum incipit cum aurora; resurrectio enim Christi est initium universalis resurrectionis omnium corporum, sicut aurora est initium diei » (Caz.). Apparet Mariae Magdalene, de qua etecerat septem daemonia; cf. Luc. 8,2. De hac Maria iam mentio facta 15,40. 1 et 16,1; sed hoc loco id additur, quo magis gratia Christi commendetur, quia illa quae olim fuit habitaculum daemonum (idque probabilissime non sine sua culpa), prae reliquis feminis quae Christo ministraverant Christi apparitione honoratur et gaudio completur. Quare merito A/b. illud applicat, ut ubi abundavit delictum superabundaret et gratia (sim. lans. Lap. Schanz, Fil.). Quare perperam asserit Wess, Mariam hic induci tamquam incognitam, quamvis ex 15,50 etc. iamdudum nota sit, ideoque ostendi hanc partem ab alio assutam esse spuriam. Illa enim , uti veteres iam bene perspexerunt, non adduntur, ut quae mulier sit dicatur, sed ut efferatur qual? pro sua benignitate et clementia Iesus eum honorem et maximam consolationem afferre dignatus sit. Et cur mulier seligatur ad primum nuntium perferendum, hanc affert rationem S. Ambrosius (et ex eo Beda) : « sicut in principio mulier auctor culpae fuit, vir exsecutor erroris, ita nunc quae mortem viro prior gustaverat, resurrectionem prior vidit, culpae ordine et remedio prior; quae culpam viro transfuderat, transfudit et gratiam veterisque lapsus compensat aerumnam resurrectionis indicio » (in Luc. lib. 10 n. 156; M. 15,1843). S. Anselmi cantuarensis in libro de excellentia b. Mariae cap. 6, Christum suae dulcissimae matri primo ac praecipue apparuisse (M. 159,568; qui liber saepe allegari solet sub nomine ipsius S. Anselmi) et /lupertus eam proponit simulque ostendit cur beata Virgo inter testes vel nuntias non enumeretur : « numquid illam nuntiare decebat, ut verba eius tamquam deliramerita viderentur ante apostolos? si enim extranearum verba feminarum visa sunt eis tamquam deliramenta, quomodo non magis matrem amore filii delirare crederent? verissime ergo matri Filius resurgens apparuit, et illi ante omnes fortasse mortales » (de div. off. l. c.). Et Aib. : « matri Mariae virgini beatae apparuit omnium primo, non ut probaret resurrectionem , sed ut eam visu suo laetificaret ». Pro qua sententia quandoque laudatur quoque S. Ambrosius, quia dicat : vidit ergo Maria resurrectionem Domini et prima vidit et credidit ; vidit et Maria Magdalene quamvis adhuc ista nutaret (de virgin. 3; M. 16,270); verum si quis legerit quae s. doctor scribit distinguens duas Marias magdalenas in Luc. lib. 10 n. 153 seq. perspiciet eum nequaquam de Maria matre Iesu eo loco esse locutum. Sed etsi s. Ambrosii testimonium invocari nequeat, haec sententia tamen ita evasit communis, ut Suarez dicat : « absque ulla dubitatione credendum est Christum post resurrectionem primum omnium matri suae apparuisse ; quae sententia ex ipsis terminis adeo est per se credibilis, ut fere sine controversia omnium fidelium et doctorum animis insederit, atque ita docent omnes scriptores catholici qui hanc quaestionem attigerunt » (in 3 p. qu. 35 disput. 49 sect. 1 n. 2). Eandemque sententiam lans. commendat dicens pietatem non parum suadere ut credamus Dominum prius apparuisse matri suae; illamque omnino tenent Mald. Lap. Sylv. (lib. 9 cap. 1 qu. 8) Benedictus XIV (de festis 8,45), Fil. Meschler (Leben Jesu) et merito affirmari potest quod S. /gnatius Loyola scribit in libello exercitiorum, cum Scriptura dicat Christum apparuisse multis, licet non nominatim matrem eius exprimat, id nobis tamen relinqui pro certo primum apparuisse matri suae, tamquam intellectum habentibus, ne alioquin iure audiamus illud : adhuc et vos sine intellectu estis! | Maria Magdalene prima affert nuntium apostolis et discipulis
merito quoque adduci possunt Hermas, Iust Tatian (cf. Cornsly, Introd. III p. 94 seq.). De quo loco vide infra. Quod vacuo sepulcro et verbis angeli demonstratur Iesum a mortuis surrexisse, evangelista ulterius tribus Iesu apparitionibus probat, in quarum enarratione id cumprimis effert quam difficiles discipuli se praebuerint ad credendum. Qua re veritas resurrectionis valentissime evincitur, quia postea maxima qua poterant persuasione hanc resurrectionem tamquam fidei fundamentum inconcussum praedicarunt et pro fide Christi vitam etsanguinem fuderunt. Uti saepius per vitam Iesu publicam apostoli a Marco describuntur tardi ad intelligendum et quasi obcaecati (6,52; 7,18; 8,17-21), ita eiusdem indolis in hac quoque parte esse dicuntur. Quemadmodum in initio baptismum et tentationes Christi breviter perstrinxit, ita nunc in fine solum summatim et valde concise narrat de apparitionibus, id unum prae oculis habens ut ipsis rebus gestis Iesum resurrexisse ostendat. In ipsa enarratione et in testibus adducendis aliqua utitur gradatione; apparet Iesus mulieri, dein duobus qui non sunt apostoli (iis hi non adhibent fidem), demum ipsis apostolis. Ex variis Christi apparitionibus sobrie seligit tantum quantum sufficit ad rei veritatem persuadendam;
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v. 10 illa vadens nuntiavit his qui cum eo fuerant lugentibus et flentibus; ἐχείνη, ponitur cum emphasi (aliqui testes addunt δέ), z/a vadit et nuntiat; proin respicitur ad v. 8; oi μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ γενόμενοι potest apostolos designare, vide 3,14, sed etiam sensu latiore discipulos qui ei adhaerere eumque sequi solebant, uti 5,18 dictio usurpatur. Hoc sensu latiore hic adhiberi elucet ex v. 129. Comites autem Iesu ita animos habent luctu de morte Iesu occupatos iisque quae feria sexta evenerant: quasi caplivalos, ut alia iisque contraria nequeant admittere
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v. 11 et illi audientes quia viveret et visus esset ab ea non crediderunt ἐθεῖθη spectatus est; vox habet aliquid sollemnitats et indicat quam certo Maria affirmaverit se claro et distincto conspectu Iesum vidisse; nihilominus illis visa sunt sicut deliramentum verba ista (Luc. 95,11). Merito carpit hoc loco F/.. quanta levitate et audacia Renan asserat quod resurrectio credita sit potissimum effectum esse a Maria Magdalene!; similiter non veretur scribere verbum istud surrexit fulguris instar apud discipulos propagatum esse et ubique pro illorum amore facile esse creditum. Verum plane contrarium elucet ex evangeliis. Id altero quoque exemplo ostenditur
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v. 19 post haec autem duobus ex his, scil. qui fuerant cum eo v. 10, sed hi erant ex discipulis uti patet ex Luc. 24,13, quorum unus Cleophas appellabatur, amówlantibus ostensus est tn alia effigie euntibus in villam, in Emmaus scil. εἰς ἀγρῶν abeunt rus, in oppositione ad urbem ; illis sese manifestavit in forma, in specie externa diversa (ἑτέρα) ab ea scil. quam habuit ante resurrectionem ; ita breviter innuere videtur quod Luc. 25,30. 31 narrat: alii quandoque concipiunt : in specie peregrini (4/5.); utique tamquam talis cum is ambulavit, sed in ea non est agnitus; ergo vix in ea forma iis ἐφανερώθη, ; vel in alia forma ab ea in qua Mariae Magdalene apparuit (Fab.); sed nullo indicio suadetur hanc partem referri ad v. 9 ubi in qua forma visus sit neutiquam indicatur;
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v. 13 et εἰ ἰὴ euntes nuntiaverunt ceteris nec illis crediderunt; Luc. 24,33 invenerunt congregatos undecim et eos qui cum illis erant dicentes : quod surrexit Dominus vere et apparuit Simoni. Quomodo ergo : nec illis crediderunt? ex hac apparente dissonantia statim sequitur hanc partem non esse postea ab alio quodam assutam; ille enim sedulo cavisset ne narrationem suam tali differentia et apparente contradictione redderet suspectam. Sed Marcus hic quoque rem brevi complectitur : ne eorum «quidem narratione ita stabilem de resurrectione conceperunt fidem, ut non statim iterum dubitarent; res ita videbatur incredibilis, ut quod. dixerant vere surrexisse Dominum mox ipsi iterum in dubium vocarent; id quod ex Luc. 25,37 satis patet. Et si vehementissimae illae commotiones considerantur quibus animi eorum in partes contrarias quasi discerpebantur, non videbitur mirum eos mox iterum dubitatione redditos esse ancipites, cum ipsi Dominum non vidissent et Dominus diceretur quidem apparuisse, at mox iterum evanuisse. Sed talis exsistendi modus eorum intelligentiae vim plane fugiebat. Quid ergo magis obvium quam ut ne illis quidem fidem adhiberent stabilem, firmam, constantem? . Bene advertit S. Gregorius : « quod resurrectionem dominicam discipuli tarde crediderunt, non tam illorum infirmitas quam nostra, ut ita dicam, futura firmitas fuit. Ipsa namque resurrectio illis dubitantibus per multa argumenta monstrata est, quae dum nos legentes agnoscimus, quid aliud quam de illorum dubitatione solidamur? Minus enim mihi Maria Magdalene praestitit quae cilius credidit quam Thomas qui diu dubitavit. Ille etenim dubitando vulnerum cicatrices teligit et de nostro pectore dubietatis vulnus amputavit » (hom. in evang. 29,1); similiter S. ^o, serm. 73 (al. 71) n. 3; M. 54,395. | Ex apparitionibus quae ipsis apostolis fiebant unam commemorat evangelista qua demum illis omnis dubitatio exempta et sublata est v. 14 novissime ὕστερον postea (Fab. Mald. Schanz , Fil.) recumbenttbus illis undecim apparuit et. exprobravit incredulitatem eorum et duritiam cordis, discipulorum indolem indocilem et tardam, uti alias, ita hic quoque evangelista verbis sat gravibus effert; atque profecto postquam Iesus saepius adeo clare praedixit se surrecturum tertia die, erat merito exspectandum apostolos visa impletione aliorum vaticiniorum facile nuntio de resurrectione esse credituros. Quare eam Christi reprehensionem omnino meriti sunt, quia Us qut viderant eum resurrexzisse non crediderunt ; quaerunt de qua apparitione hic referatur. Aliqui ob novisszme et ea quae sequuntur esse ultimam ante ascensionem Domini existimant (Patr.). Sed ὕστεοον eam notionem non habet ; dein haec exprobratio certe non facta est postquam Iesus per quadraginta dies iis se vivum praebuit in multis argumentis apparens eis et loquens de regno Dei (Act. 1,3). Et cum hoc loco narratio sit valde succincta, nullo modo necesse est assumere ea quae v. 15 dicuntur ad eandem pertinere apparitionem. Uti inter v. 19 et v. 20 longius temporis spatium intercedit, ita quoque inter v. 154 et v. 15, id quod etiam inserto e£ dizit eis haud obscure innuitur. Cum undecim nominentur, putant aliqui die octavo post resurrectionem factam esse hanc apparitionem; eo enim tempore Thoma quoque praesente et undecim aderant et aliqua. reprehensio facta est (Faó. Mald.). Quam maxime convenire videtur, ut in prima apparitione Iesus eos reprehenderit de eorum incredulitate; proin ipso die resurrectionis vespere (Ioan. 20,19. Luc. 95,36-53) neque obstat quod Thoma absente solum decem apostoli praesentes erant: nam «ndecim nomen est collegii quod usurpari potest etsi unus abest ; ita δ ώδεχα eodem modo adhibetur eo tempore quo non erant nisi undecim :cf. 1 Cor. 15,5 graece: vide Cornely , Comment. in 1 Cor. p. 553). Quare haec sententia satis habet probabilitatis (Lap. Lamy, Disp. Schegy, Fil.). Contendit. Weiss eam designari apparitionem quae Matth. 28.16 narretur, et conqueritur eo quod recumbentibus dicatur apparuisse conditionem et locum plane mutari et ea perperam admisceri quae Luc. 25,41 vel Act. 1,4 describantur. En qua ratione vir criticus agit. Prius sententiam statuit quae cum narratione non congruit (nota recumóentibus , exprobravit, ὕστερον non ὕστατον), dein invehitur in evangelistam quod res confundat, mutet, perperam intermisceat: Ex iis quae Iesus per dies quadraginta apparens eis et loquens de regno Dei docuit pauca refert, sed ea quae pro Romanis maximi ponderis et momenti erant: evangelium esse omnibus, in toto orbe annuntiandum ; sine fide fieri non posse ut quis salutem consequatur; fidei autem fieri promissiones magnificas. Hisce enim Romanis propagatio evangelii quam maxime commendatur, cui operi Romani manus admovere possunt eo quoque quia Romam homines ex toto imperio convenire solent, ex urbe autem magistratus et milites in varias orbis partes proficisci ad negotia gerenda consuescunt
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v. 15 e£ ditt eis; quando haec dixerit non notatur, neque in tam concisa narratione erat exspectandum, euntes in mundum universum praedicate evangelium omni creaturae , dictiones seliguntur quam maxime universales; χτίσις creatura, id quod creatum est (cf. 13,19. Rom. 1,25; 8,39 etc.); hic intelligitur creatura in mundo adspectabili praecipua i. e. homo; omni homini, toti generi humano evangelium est annuntiandum (cf. Col. 1,23), omnibus, Iudaeis et gentibus. Ceterum apud talmudistas quoque eo modo adhiberi 1:33 55 multis exemplis ostendunt LigAtfoot, Wetstein ad h. 1. Quod aliqui monent ipsam quoque creaturam liberatum iri a servitute corruptionis in libertatem gloriae filiorum Dei (Rom. 8,21) verum quidem est, at exinde non sequitur praedicate omni creaturae hoc loco ita quoque esse explicandum. Nam rebus inanimatis et ratione carentibus non fit κήρυγμα praeconium, annuntiatio sollemnis; dein in v. 16 statim indicatur qui demum nomine creaturae intelligantur. lam quo propagationi evangelii alacrius incumbant, ex Christi verbis ea seliguntur quibus necessitas evangelii quam maxime inculcatur
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v. 16 qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit , salvus erit ; qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur ; nam sine fide impossibile est placere Deo (Hebr. 11,6); qui non credit iam iudicatus est (loan. 3,18). Qui Deo vere credit, promissis eius ac minis veram adhibet fidem, is sedulo quoque mandata Dei custodit. Proinde quae fides cum baptismo ad salutem requiratur satis apertum est et bene advertit S. Gregorius (et ex eo Beda) : « fortasse unusquisque apud semetipsum dicat : ego iam credidi, salvus ero. Verum dicit, si fidem operibus tenet; vera etenim fides est quae in hoc quod verbis dicit moribus non contradicit. Hinc est enim quod de quibusdam falsis fidelibus Paulus dicit : qui confitentur.se nosse Deum, factis autem negant (Tit. 1,16); hinc Ioannes ait : qui dicit se nosse Deum et mandata eius non custodit, mendax est » (1 Ioan. 9,4; hom. in evang. 29,3). Ex hisce paucis Christi verbis mirum est, ait Maíd., quot haereses natae sint ; scil. solam fidem ad salutem satis esse, quando sola a Christo exigi videatur; dein non posse quemquam nisi aetate iam adulta et disciplinae capaci baptizari, cum baptizari ii tantum qui crediderint iubeantur; tertio baptismum non esse ad salutem necessarium, quod Calviniani ex sequentibus verbis colligunt. Qui errores hoc loco refutatione non indigent. Dein declarat Iesus vim ac praestantiam fidei, qua simul animentur et confortentur ad quaevis pericula subeunda, ne in propagatione evangelii ullis absterreantur obstaculis;
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v. 17 signa autem eos qui crediderint haec sequentur : in nomtne meo quia me confitentur et me invocant, vi huius fidei et invocationis , daemonia eiicient; sicut in evangelio peculiari studio demonstrata est potestas Iesu in daemones et haec quoque potestas apostolis commissa (3,15), ita eandem hoc loco effert primo; nonne in hac quoque re deprehenditur idem evangelista? /znguts loquentur novis, quae scil. loquentibus novae sunt cum eas non didicerint; γλώσσαις ξέναις, διαλέκτοις ὀλλοεθνέσιν, ut EutA. explicat; cf. Act. .2,6-11;
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v. 18 serpentes tollent, non : delebunt vel occident , uti EutA. Dion. Lap. explicari posse arbitrantur; nam ad hoc fideles non mittuntur; sed manibus tollent nullo noxae aut vulneris metu; uti exemplum habetur Act. 28,3-6; serpentes venenosi non iis nocebunt, ut simili modo Christus iam antea apostolis locutus erat : ecce dedi vobis potestatem calcandi super serpentes et scorpiones et super omnem virtutem inimici et nihil vobis nocebit (Luc. 10,19); huic exemplo de evacuata virtute veneni alterum adiungitur, e/ st mortiferum quid biberint non eis nocebit; exemplum hoc affertur ad demonstrandum velle Deum eos servare quoque ab occultis inimicorum insidiis et machinationibus; super aegros manus imponent et bene habebunt ; cf. 3,15; hisce illustratur effatum Christi de vi et efficacia fidei; vide 11,99-25. Matth. 17,20; 21,21. Luc. 17,6, et confirmatur quod Christusiam antea dixerat : qui credit in me opera quae ego facio et ipse faciet et maiora horum faciet (Ioan. 14,12). λούντων γλώσσαις atque : « alii daemones expellunt certissime ac verissime, adeo ut qui eiusmodi malis spiritibus liberati sunt saepe fidem amplectantur et in Ecclesia permaneant ; alii praescientiam futurorum sortiti sunt; alii infirmos per impositionem manut&m curant et pristinae sanitati restituunt; sed et mortui aliquóties excitati sunt. Quid plura? non potest numerus iniri donorum quae per universum orbem Ecclesia a Deo accipiens in nomine eius qui sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus est Iesu Christi quotidie ad opitulationem gentium operatur »; hisce ex [renaeo laudatis merito concludit Eusebius multiplicem donorum spiritualium varietatem ad illa usque tempora penes dignos permansisse (h. e. 3,7; M. 20,448). Erant quippe haec dona copiosa in exordio rei christianae; « ut enim fides cresceret, miraculis erat nutrienda, quia et nos cum arbusta plantamus, tamdiu eis aquam infundi- . mus, quousque ea in terra iam convaluisse videamus » (S. Greg. hom. in evang. 29,4); at nunquain in Ecclesia cessarunt, uti ex vitis Sanctorum ubertim demonstratur in singulis saeculis. Promissio est generalis, spectans ad universam Ecclesiam et eius utilitatem; verum singula distribuit Spiritus sanctus prout vult pro fine providentiae supernaturalis (cf. Maid. Jans.). Sunt qui verba illa interpretentur spiritualiter : si qui ad fideni corivertuntur, daemon quasi ex eorum mentibus expellitur; novis linguis loquuntur fideles sancta mysteria sonantes, Dei laudes narrantes; serpentes tollunt ii qui malitiam ex aliorum cordibus auferunt; mortiferum absque damno bibunt qui pestiferas suasiones audientes minime ad peccatum pertrahuntur; aegros sanant qui alios ad virtutem roborant, a vitiis retrahunt (cf. S. Greg. Bed. Alb. Bernardus, de ascensione serm. 4,3; M. 183,301 ; Salmeron tract. . 34); sed bene notat Mald. : « dubium non est Christum non de istis loqui sigtiis ». Quemadmodum evangelista ostendit verba Iesu de sua passione et resurrectione esse impleta, ita pariter docet id quod dixerat de sessione ad dexteram Dei (15,62; cf. 12,36) aeque esse in opus deductum
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v. 19 et Dominus quidem Iesus, nota Iesum in gloria constitutum sollemniore quoque appellatione ὁ κύριος vocari, postquam locutus est eis, Theoph. supplet ταῦτα, idemque Schanz, Weiss; quodsi etiam suppletur, non sequitur Christum statim post haec verba ascendisse in coelum. In hac enim narratione adeo succincta nexus arctus inter singulas sententias nequit statui et postularetur perperam, uti statim in v. 20 quoque ostenditur. Ceterum cum μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς dicitur sine addito, generatim intelligi potest de sermonibus quibus Iesus post resurrectioneni discipulos docuit (cf. Ewuth. Alb. Mald. Bisp. Reischl), assumptus est an coelum cf. Act. 1,9. Eph. 4,10 ascendit super omnes coelos, Hebr. 6.20; 7.26; 9,12, eL sedet « dextris Dei, uti praedixerat synedristis 15,69; cf. Col. 3.1. Hebr. 1,3; 8.1; 10,12; 12,9. 1 Petr. 3,22 etc. 1. e. conresnans Patri in omni aequalitate secundum deitatem et fruens potis- simis bonis Patris secundum humanitatem (A/5.); gloria et honore coronatus est etiam secundum humanam naturam ; in throno sedere ad dexteram Dei dicit coelitus in sede regali divina potentia Ecclesiam regere et gubernare (Ma/d.). Apostoli autem verbis Christi obsecuti v. 90 7/i autem profecti, utique non statim assumpto Domino, neque statim post acceptum Spiritum sanctum; iussi quippe erant testes esse Iesu in lerusalem, in omni Iudaea et Samaria, et tum demum usque ad ultimum terrae (cf. Act. 1,8) praedicaverunt ubtque Domino cooperante, uti. promiserat Iesus : ecce ego vobiscum sum, et sermonem , praedicationem evangelii, con/irmante sequentibus signis, quomodo enim patratione miraculorum evangelium factum sit credibile et ab hominibus fide apprehensum , satis ex Act. elucet; cf. 1 Cor. 9,4. Rom. 15,19. Gal. 3,5. Quae igitur promissa erant v. 17. 18, Dominus Iesus fideliter 1n suis et per suos praestitit. ferre non omisit. Donum miraculorum describit non in universum, sed exemplis distinctis prolatis, sicut in reliquo libro rerum gestarum narrationem singula quaedam persecutus illustrare ac distinguere solet. Demum ea verba Christi seligit quae Romanis aptissime proponuntur, ut supra iam ostendi. Et si in v. 9-13 brevis est et concisus summam rei solummodo tangens, idem deprehenditur in libri initio strictim narrans baptismum et tentationem Iesu. Attamen non omittit efferre primo apparuisse Iesum illi de qua eiecerat septem daemonia. Nonne id fidelibus Romae qui maiore parte e gentilibus erant peculiari solatio fuisse censendum crit? Cum enim satan sit princeps et deus huius mundi (2 Cor. 4,4) et qui peccatum facit sit eius servus (cf. 2 Petr. 2,19), gentiles non uno nomine solum, sed pluribus in daemonis potestate et servitute erant constituti. Illis itaque singulari consolationi erat audire Iesum primo se gloriosum illi manifestasse quae a septem daemonibus misera et turpi servitute olim crat vexata. Rem igitur narratam ad librum Marci prorsus convenire nemo negare poterit, dummodo ea quae exposui secum perpenderit. Verum quid iudicandum erit de genere dicendi? Hoc enim genus a Marci dictione alienum esse ac plane remotum contendunt haud pauci. Proinde examinemus singula quae ad id demonstrandum afleruntur. Primo desiderari dicunt ea quae Marco propria sunt et peculiaria in scribendo; nam non reperiri in hac parte εὐθύς, πάλιν, quibus particulis uti solet adeo frequenter. Sed facile respondetur : εὐθύς non potuit adhiberi nisi fortasse in initio v. 10; reliqua omnia longiore temporis intervallo separantur quam ut ullo modo ca particula possint coniungi. Et cum in ipso v. 10 posuerit scriptor ἐχείνη ut notaretur oppositio ad v. 8, etiam intelligitur cur non sententiam inceperit, uti saepe, xa: εὐθύς. Potuit quidem πάλιν bis adhiberi in v. 12 et 14; verum num in rcliquo libro ubicumque potuit poni etiam positum est? Dein accusant brevitatem in narrando! quae ab indole libri abhorreat. Sed ob oculos haberi dcbet quid narrationibus illis tribus voluerit ostendere. Voluit exponere quod dixit angelus : cum videbitis et quod Christus praedixerat se resurrecturum. Atque hoc sufficienter fit, immo non sine pondere quodam fit tribus illis narrationibus brevibus, immediate inter se cxcipien- tibus : |1 ea refert ἂν εἴη), et praesertim si repugnent aliorum testimonio? Quare ei sententiae Eusebii ne nimium ponderis tribuatur valde cavendurn est. Deest illa pars in codicibus Ν B. Verum ne magna horum codicum auctoiam monui, Patrum aliquot et versionum syriacae et italae testimonia esse longe antiquiora quae habeant hanc partem ; secundo codicem vaticanum B praebere eo loco spatium vacuum plus quam unius columnae; ex qua re omnes etiam ii qui partem illam spuriam censent merito concludunt scribae eius codicis omnino notum fuisse exsistere partem illam post 16,8, pro qua! spatium vacuum reliquit. Et addendum est id fere etiam valere pro codice sinaitico Ν᾿: nam, uti Tischendorf cum communi criticorum consensu iudicavit, idem scriba qui scripsit novum testamentum in B scripsit quoque sex folia in x et ea quidem folia quae Marc. 15,34 — Luc. 1,56 conin edit. 8 Tisch. pars prior, p. 360); et insuper signo aliquo in ipso codice N satis indicatur partem illam esse omissam scriba sibi conscio eius omissionis (cf Scrivener, Introduction etc. Addenda et corrigenda p. XIII; Cornely, Introd. III p. 99). Tertio bene notandum vest hos duos codices probabiliter esse ex iis quinquaginta quos anno 331 Constantinus describi iussit cura demandata Eusebio (vita Constant. 4,36. 37). Ita censuit Tischendorf et Gregory fatetur se nihil habere quod huic Tischendorfii coniecturae opponat; « quamdiu argumenta nova ex inscriptionibus novis novisque codicibus non afferantur, inclinat animus ut arbitrer codices sinaiticum quaternis columnis et vaticanum ternis columnis ex illis quinquaginta fuisse qui τετρασσά et τρισσά scripti sint » (Gregory l. c. p. 348). En, si ita, unius habetur Eusebii opinatio, qui cur omitti partem illam iusserit, in responsione ad Marinum satis aperit. S. Hieronymus in epistola ad Hedibiam (ep. 120,3; M. 23,987) ad eandem quaestionem quae Eusebio posita est a Marino, cadem respondit quae apud Eusebium leguntur, quamvis Eusebium non nominet : « huius quaestionis duplex solutio est; aut enim non recipimus Marci testimonium quod in raris fertur evangeliis, omnibus Graeciae libris pene hoc capitulum in fine non habentibus, praesertim cum diversa atque contraria evangelistis ceteris narrare videatur; aut hoc respondendum quod uterque verum dixerit ... ita enim distinguendum est : cum autem surrezisset, et parumper spiritu contracto inferendum, prima sabbati mane apparuit Mariae Magdalenae ». Eius itaque hac in re testimonium non novum supplet argumentum, sed solum repetit quod apud Eusebium legitur. Eum autem alteram quoque sententiam secutum esse ex eo patet quia cum evangelia graecae fidei redderet et auctoritati (uti ipse loquitur in ep. ad Lucinium, ep. 11,5 οἱ de viris illustr. 135; M. 22,671; 23,717), eam partem omnino retinuit quamvis eam se regulam secutum esse profiteatur : ut veterum librorum fides de hebraeis voluminibus examinanda esl, ita novorum graeci sermonis normam desiderat (ep. ad Lucinium l. c.; alias ep. 98); dein in dialogo adv. Pelagianos 2,15 (M. 23,550) ita scribit : « in quibusdam exemplaribus et maxime in graecis codicibus iuxta Marcum in fine eius evangelii scribitur : postea cum accubuissent undecim, apparuit eis Iesus et exprobravit incredulifa- Lem et duritiam cordis eorum quia his qui viderant eum resurgentem non crediderunt. Et illi satisfaciebant dicentes : saeculum istud iniquitatis et incredulitatis substantia (cod. vat. sub satana) est quae non sinit per immundos spiritus veram Dei apprehendi virtutem; idcirco iam nunc revela iustitiam tuam »; itaque in quibusdam exemplaribus et maxime in graecis ad sincerum Marci textum legebatur additum apocryphum hoc discipulorum responsum, quo suam incredulitatem excusant et id postulant quod etiam in Act. 4,6 interrogasse perhibentur. Talis autem textus ampliticatio satis quoque ostendit sincerum textum multum fuisse propagatum. Quae porro obiiciuntur solum ostendunt quod Eusebius nos docuit in quibusdam exemplaribus eam partem non esse lectam. Quod si dicitur in libris S. Athanasii, Basilii, Gregorii naz. Cyrilli alex. Theodoreti eius partis indicia non reperiri, id profecto non evincit hisce omnibus eam partem fuisse ignotam vel in earum regionum exemplaribus omnibus defuisse. Nam primo fortuito fieri potest et quam facillime ut quis etsi multa scribat tamen ad paucos versus non alludat; dein Didymus alexand. ut supra ostensum est novit partem illam; iam Athanasius (298-373) et Didymus (309-394) erant aequales in urbe eadem. Gregorius nyssenus, uti supra vidimus, novit partem illam; proin vix credibile illam ignotam fuisse fratri eius seniori, Basilio; novit Caesarius, frater iunior Gregorii naz.; ergo probabilissime quoque ipse Gregorius; demum in opere Cyrilli alex. leguntur verba Nestorii ex illa parte desumpta. — Maiore probabilitate textus ille ignotus erat Tertulliano et Cypriano. Tertullianus enim in libro de baptismo agit de eius necessitate οἱ de eius ad fidem habitudine; quare merito dici potest, si legisset textum Marci 16,16, sine ulla dubitatione eum fuisse in medium prolaturum. Pariter in disceptationibus Cypriani de baptismo, in libro de testimoniis iure exspectaretur ut allegaretur textus ille futurum fuisse, si eum Cyprianus in suo codice legisset. Sed inde nihil aliud sequitur, nisi quod iam ex codice k et S. Hieronymi verbis scimus eam partem in aliquibus codicibus esse desideratam. Et quod Victor antiochenus de illa parte dicil, pariter ex Eusebio haustum est (cat. Cr. p. 444); sed p. 447 legitur scholion, quo eius sententia oppugnatur : ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἐξ ἀκριδῶν ἀντιγράφων. ἐν πλείστοις εὑρόντες αὐτὰ xal κατὰ τὸ Παλαιστιναῖον Εὐαγγέλιον, ὡς ἔχει ἢ ἀλήθεια Μάρκου συντεθείκαμεν etc. Hisce graviter textus ille vindicatur. Pariter sine ulla dubitatione textum agnoscunt S. Ambrosius et Augustinus. Ille scribit in fine expositionis evang. Luc. : « undecim quoque discumbentibus discipulis et Marcus in fine apparuisse scribit, quando similiter praedicandi his per totum orbem mandat oflicium »; S. Augustinus vero de verbis 16,16 quartum habuit sermonem in diebus paschalibus (serm. 233; al. de diversis 86). Quaesitum est etiam, unde acciderit ut pars haec in codicibus omitlteretur sat multis, uti ex Eusebio colligi videtur. Ratio sat probabilis assignatur a recentioribus haec : in ecclesia alexandrina ieiunium finiri solebat festumque resurrectionis celebrari media nocte ; in aliis ecclesiis circa auroram; priori usui favere videbatur Matth. 28,4, alteri Marc. 16,9 si nimirum (qued multi faciunt) temporis determinatio ad ἀναστάς refertur. Alexandrini igitur ne cui scrupulus iniiceretur partem illam Marci non legisse videntur, ideoque in lectionaria non videtur esse assumpta; unde fieri potuit, ut in codicibus quoque omitteretur. Similiter in cap. 16 epistolae ad Romanos evenisse certum est (cf. Cornely, Introd. III p. 98). Ceterum ea de quaestione pluribus tractarunt Corluy (Études religieuses, philosophiques etc. Nov. 1876, p. 633 seq.); Cornely l. c.; Abbé Martin, Introduction à la critique textuelle du N. T. partie pratique tom. II 1884; Burgon , The last twelve verses of the Gospel according to S. Mark; Oxford, London 1871 ; Zahn l. c., Westcott et Hort l. c. Qui eam partem S. Marco vindicant, Danko (Historia Revelationis N. T. p. 281) enumerat hos : Wolf, Storr, Kuinoel, Hug, Schott, Himly, Olshausen, Kirchhofer, Guerike, Ebrard, Rink, Bisping, Demaret. — Praeterea Schanz addit hos : R. Simon, Bengel, Matthaei, Eichhorn, Saunier, Feilmoser, Scholz, Schleiermacher, de Wette, Schwarz, Lange, Bleek , Reithmayr, Maier, Patrizi, Hilgenfeld, Keil. Hisce adde (praeter catholicos fere omnes) Burgon, Salmon, Scrivener. ih a) Matrimonium esse indissolubile 10,1-12 . δὴ Iesus benedicit parvulos 10,13-16 . Ed v c) De divitiarum periculis et mercede gaupertátis 10,17-31 iai 1) NIHIL DATE DUE
16:1
Mc. suppose que le jour du sabbat il n’y avait absolument rien à faire. Cela est tout à fait en situation. Mais le repos sabbatique se terminait le samedi au coucher du soleil, et dès ce moment les deux Marie et Salomé entrent en scène. διαγίνεσθαι, s'écouler en parlant du temps : Dém. 833, 14 (Bailly) : δέκα ἐτῶν διαγενομένων; cf. Act. xxv, 13; xxvu, 9. Ce sont les trois mêmes femmes que Mc. ἃ nommées comme assistant de loin à la crucifixion, xv, 40. La seconde Marie est désignée cette fois par le nom de Jacques (où syrsin. voit toujours son père); on dirait que Mec. ne voulant pas nommer toujours ses deux fils nomme tantôt José (xv, 47), tantôt Jacques. Dans la pensée de Me. les ἀρώματα ne sont pas seulement des plantes aromatiques (ef. II Chron. χνι, 14), mais plutôt des huiles parfumées. Le syrsin., prévenant la difficulté, a écrit « de l'huile et des aromates ». Loisy : « On remarquera que l’idée d'embaumer un cadavre déjà enseveli, et enfermé dans le tombeau depuis deux jours, n’est pas très naturelle. Maïs il fallait un motif pour amener les femmes au sépulcre » (11, 715). On fait ce qu’on peut. L'idée n’est pas venue aux saintes femmes après deux jours. Elles n’ont pas perdu un moment. Dans la hâte de la parascève on avait été au plus pressé; maintenant elles veulent compléter les rites de la sépulture. Nous avons déjà parlé de l'onction des morts sur xiv, 8. Merx : « L’ensevelissement rapide du vendredi était provisoire et n'exclut aucunement une onction subséquente » (ad À. L., p. 169).
16:2
Comme on ne peut pas supposer que Mc. fixe d'abord le départ, λίαν rowt, puis l’arrivée au soleil levé, et qu'il n’a pu se contredire dans la même phrase, il faut donc qu’il entende λίαν πρωΐ du bon matin, de l'aurore. Au commencement d'avril, le soleil se lève à Jérusalem avant 6 heures. C'est bien le moment approximativement indiqué xv, 1, En ajoutant λίαν Mc. a voulu indiquer qu'il était de très bonne heure pour se mettre en route, plutôt que le début de l'aurore, d’ailleurs relativement courte à Jérusalem. Quelques autorités (D; €, À, a, syrr. [sën. et pes.]) omettent λίαν ; D etc. lisent ἀνατελλοντος (au présent) au lieu de ἀνατείλαντος, et c'est la leçon qu’a préférée s. Aug. : oriente iam sole, id est, cum caelum ab orientis parte iam albesceret {De Cons. ev. τι, 65), moins sans doute pour mettre Me. d'accord avec lui-même que pour se rapprocher de Jo. σχοτίας ἔτι οὔσης. 1] faut d’ailleurs envisager surtout le parfait accord des évangélistes sur le jour et le moment du jour, le matin du dimanche (de même Εν. Petri). La locution μία pour πρώτη est généralement regardée comme sémitique. Moulton objecte τῇ μιᾷ χαὶ εἰχάδι (BU. 623, ne/ne s. ap. J.-C.) et l'usage des chiffres cardinaux au lieu des ordinaux au-dessus de quatre dans le grec moderne (4 Grammar... 96); cf. Mt., Le., Jo. à cet endroit, et Act. xx, 7; I Cor. xvi, 2.
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La préoccupation des saintes femmes est très naturelle ; il est très probable qu'à elles trois elles n'auraient pu remuer la pierre; ce travail n’exigeait pas seulement de la force, il fallait aussi y employer des instruments de fer, un levier par exemple. Puis ce n’était pas leur affaire; il fallait quelqu'un d’autorisé. Les difficultés de l’entreprise se présentent maintenant plus vivement à leur pensée; elles se communiquent leur embarras, πρὸς ἑαυτάς, comme πρὸς ἀλλήλας, Cf. χι, 31; χιν, 4. Où trouver quelqu'un pour leur rendre ce bon office? ἀποχυλέειν, « rouler la pierre loin de l'endroit qu’elle ferme
16:4
ἀναθλέπειν ne signifie pas nécessairement regarder de bas en haut; mais simplement regarder attentivement, respicientes. Wellh. ἃ raison de dire qu'on n'imagine pas facilement un tombeau ouvert au flanc d'un rocher, avec une entrée dominant le sol, et fermée par une grosse pierre. Maïs aussi rien n'oblige à placer le tombeau sur une pente ou sur une éminence. Dans ces sortes de tombes fermées par de grosses pierres, l'entrée est plutôt en contre-bas. Cela posé, il est plaisant que Wellh. juge ce détail emprunté par imitation à Gen. xx1x, 3 ss., quand les exemples de cet arrangement sépulcral sont si fréquents en Palestine, et précisément au temps du Christ. Les femmes voient donc la pierre « roulée de côté », ἀνακυλίειν, Lerme très précis et qui montre la pierre rentrée dans sa gaine. Mc. parle de la grosseur de la pierre au moment où les femmes arrêtent sur elle leur regard avec étonnement, ce qui est bien dans sa manière pittoresque. On comprend cependant que des scribes qui ne reculaient pas devant une correction aient mis cette incise ἣν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα à la fin du v. 3; c'est le cas de D, 6, ἢ, n, syrr (sin. et hier.). On ἃ même introduit dans le ms. 4 16 récit de la résurrection & subito autem ad horam tertiam diei tenebrae factae sunt per totum orbem ierrae, οἱ descenderunt de caelis angeli et surgentes in claritate vivi dei simul ascenderunt cum eo, et continuo lux facta est. tunc illae accesserunt ad monumenium et vident revolutum lapidem; fuit enim magnus nimis {Soden).
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Les femmes peuvent donc entrer dans le tombeau. Mc. ne dit pas que le lieu où avait été le corps füt précédé d’un vestibule. D'après un type très commun, la chambre sépulcrale offre au milieu un passage entre deux banquettes ou deux auges, à droite et à gauche; assez souvent il ÿ ἃ une banquette dans le fond, en trapèze par rapport aux deux autres. La présence du jeune homme assis à droïîte semble indiquer que Jésus avait été déposé à droite dans une auge ou sur une banquette de pierre. S'il y avaît une banquette à gauche, comme cela est très probable, Joseph a pu avoir la pensée de la réserver pour lui-même. Mc. ne dit pas que ce jeune homme était un ange, mais cela s'entend assez; cf. II Mac. πὶ, 26 : ἕτεροι δὲ δύο ἐφάνησαν αὐτῷ νεανίαι τῇ ῥώμη μὲν ἐχπρεπεῖς.., διαπρεπεῖς δὲ τὴν περιδολήν... 38 : of... αὐτοὶ νεανίαι πάλιν ἐφάνησαν... ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς ἐσθήσεσιν ἐστολισμένοι... Cf. Apoc. vu, 43. Dans sa Transfiguration, Jésus avait lui aussi des vêtements blancs, mais il est bien clair par ce qui suit que ce n'est pas Jésus qui apparaît. Sa résurrection demeure enveloppée dans le mystère. D'après l’ensemble, il semble que c’est l'ange qui a roulé la pierre. Rien n'indique que ce fût pour faire sortir Jésus, comme Loisy l'affirme gratuitement (II, 716).
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ἐχθαμδεῖσθαι signifie l’étonnement causé par un événement extraordinaïre, cf. 1x, 15, maïs auquel il se mêle de l’effroi, χιν, 38; aussi la Ve. at-elle rendu : Molite expavescere. L'ange ne pouvait pas dire : ne soyez pas étonnées, tout au plus : ne demeurez pas dans cette stupeur qui ne comprend pas. 4 : et hebetes factae sunt, ille autem dixit ad illas : quid stupetis ? Pour inspirer confiance aux femmes, il leur dit en termes très simples l’objet de leur recherche, Jésus de Nazareth le crucifié, τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, comme I Cor. 1, 28: π, 2; Gal. mr, 4, comme s’il l'était toujours pour intercéder pour nous (οἵ, Heb. vn, 25}, au lieu que l’aor. est employé pour l’acte de la crucifixion Jo. xx, 20; I Cor. χπὶ, 4; Apoc. ΧΙ, 8. En sens opposé, ἠγέρθη à l’aor. pour marquer que le moment de la résurrection est désormais passé, au lieu que Paul, avec ἐγήγερται (I Cor. xv, 4. 20), fait allusion à la permanence de la vie ressuscitée (les deux remarques de Swete). Jésus ressuscité n’est plus dans la tombe destinée aux morts, et, pour que les saintes femmes constatent bien qu'elles ne se sont point trompées de tombeau, l’ange montre l'endroit où le corps avait été momentanément placé. Un des derniers tenants du rationalisme, M. Kirsopp Lake (The historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ; cf. RP. 1909, p. 147 s.), a imaginé qu'un jeune homme quelconque, voyant que les femmes se trompaient de tombeau, les avait renseignées sur la vraie tombe de Jésus. 1] n'oublie que le mot ἠγέρθη, vers lequel converge toute la relation de Mc. L'ange parle avec une lucidité merveilleuse, et rapidement, sans liaisons entre les mots. ἴδε est devenu particule (wr, 34; xur, 21) avec le nominatif, et en s'adressant à plusieurs personnes; voir aussi ΧΙ, 21; ΧΠῚ, 1.
16:7
ἀλλά se rapporte au premier mot : «ne demeurez pas stupides ». Votre dessein n'ayant plus de raison d’être, c'est un autre office qui vous est confié. Le style est toujours très rapide; les deux verbes « allez, dites » font autant d'effet que le ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι de Mt. Si l'ange n'a pas de mots à perdre, les femmes ne doivent pas perdre de temps. καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ, et spécialement à Pierre; cf. Act. 1, 14 et même Mc. 1, 5. Cette mention propre à Mc., soit parce que Pierre est le chef des Apôtres, soit parce que Jésus veut l’assurer qu'il lui pardonne. Les exégètes sont partagés, mais rien n'empêche de joindre les deux raisons, la première étant cependant la plus naturelle. Théophyl. : Τὸν Πέτρον χωρίζει .. ὡς κορυφαῖον κατ᾽ ἐξοχὴν αὐτὸν ὀνομάζων ἐχτὸς ἐχείνων᾽ ἢ ἐπειδὴ ἠρνήσατο ὃ Πέτρος.. — ὅτι est récitatif : les femmes devront répéter Les paroles qui suivent. On ne peut contester que ces paroles ne tiennent aucun compte des apparitions à Jérusalem. Elles ne les excluent certainement pas, maïs elles supposent à tout le moins que l’auteur n'avait pas le dessein de les raconter. On aurait tort d'en conclure que Jésus, qui avait d'abord résolu de ne pas se montrer aux disciples à Jérusalem, aurait changé d'avis parce que les disciples n'avaient pas accepté son rendez-vous en Galilée (cf. Schanz]. Les paroles de l'ange ne manifestent pas toutes les intentions de Jésus, mais seulement celles qui entraient dans le plan de l'ouvrage. Il semble donc que Mc. se proposait de raconter les apparitions de Galilée, et cette inférence assez naturelle est confirmée par le procédé de Mt. Mais peut-être se proposait-il de réaliser ce dessein dans un autre ouvrage ?
16:8
Les femmes ne sont pas rassurées, ou plutôt elles ne parviennent pas à se dominer; elles demeurent saisies; ἔχειν dans ce sens est classique. PLur. Popl. vu : ἔκπληξις εἶχε καὶ φρίχη καὶ σιωπὴ πάντας ἐπὶ τοῖς διαπεπραγμένοις (Field, 45). — ἔκστασις comme v, 42 à propos d’une résurrection. Ce premier mouvement s'explique très bien, c’est un trait de panique irrésistible. Mais après, pourquoi les femmes n’ont-elles pas parlé? Me. en donne pour raison qu'elles étaient toujours sous l'influence de la terreur. Cette impression ne pouvait durer toujours, et l’on peut très bien concevoir comme Mt. {xxvur, 8) qu’elles ont fini par prendre le parti de remplir leur mission. Maïs l'épisode se termine ici, et nous ne savons plus rien de ce qu'a fait le groupe des trois femmes. — On a supposé que le manuscrit ἃ été coupé par accident, car cette terminaison est très brusque et l'on prétend qu'il était nécessaire au moins de dire ce que craignaient les femmes. Si la fin de 1 Esdr. 1x, 55 est très abrupte, elle est complétée dans IT Esdr. (grec) xvur, 18. Mais, dans le style de Me. il s'agit d'une terreur surnaturelle qui a en elle-même sa raison d'être comme celle des trois Apôtres à la Transfguration, 1x, 6 : ἔχφοδοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο. 1] n'y a pas à se demander si les femmes ont craint les Juifs ou la défiance des Apôtres, ou le ridicule; elles sont sous l'impression d'un émoi qui ne leur permet pas d'agir. — ἐφοδοῦντο γὰρ est donc une conclusion possible au moins de l'épisode du tombeau trouvé vide, quoi qu'il en soit du livre de Me. L’Æv. Petri termine cet épisode presque aussi brusquement : τότε αἱ yuvaïxes φοθηθεῖσαι ἔφυγον (xt, 57). ἃ supposer qu'il ait imité Μο., il n'y lisait donc rien de plus sur ce sujet. Tout cet épisode a été fort maltraité par M. Loisy. L'autorité en est nulle, c'est une couche au moins tertiaire. Cela résulte de ce que «la source de Marc. et même la prophétie de la dispersion des disciples, déjà secondaire par rapport à la rédaction originale de cette source, ne prévoient pas que les apôtres puissent être encore à Jérusalem le surlendemain de la Passion » (II, 722). M. Loisy s'est-il imaginé que les disciples ont quitté Jérusalem à marches forcées le jour du sabbat? Ou sait-il que la source, primaire ou secondaire, de Mc. ne plaçait pas la résurrection au lendemain du samedi? Est-il même vraisemblable que les apôtres aient songé à quitter la ville sainte pendant la fête des Azymes ? Ce n’est pas ce qu'a pensé l'Évangile de Pierre ! Et la preuve que les disciples avaient quitté Jérusalem, c’est le Mc. tertiaire lui-même qui est censé nous la fournir : « Homme de foi ardente, avec l'imagination d'un visionnaire, mais esprit simple, il reste dominé par la tradition qu'il veut compléter, et qu'il corrige maladroitement » (II, 722). Le bon Mc. n’a donc pas osé aller au bout de son hypothèse. Il imagine un message aux disciples, mais il confesse qu'il n’a pas été transmis, avouant ainsi le départ des disciples! On se demande lequel de Mc. ou de M. Loisy a le plus d'imagination,
16:9
Il faut reconnaître que, en toute hypothèse, le fil de la narration est interrompu. Nous remontons à la résurrection du Sauveur, fixée au matin. Il semble bien en effet que πρωΐ se rapporte à ἀναστάς (Schanz, Fil., Knab., Swete etc.), non à ἐφάνη. Cajetan donne une belle raison de convenance de la résurrection au matin : valde congrue dies aeternitatis gloriosorum corporum incipit cum aurora; resurrectio enim Christi est initium universalis resurrectionis omnium corporum, sicut aurora est initium diei. Ce moment a pu être révélé par Jésus à ses apôtres. πρώτῃ σαδδάτου revient sur la date déjà marquée v. 2 pour la sortie des saintes femmes. C'est le seul cas où πρῶτος soit employé dans ce contexte (au lieu de τῇ μιᾷ); σαδδάτου au sing., comme I Cor. xvi, 2. Qu'il s'agisse du sabbat, ou de la semaine, ce qui est plus naturel avec πρώτῃ, c'est toujours le dimanche matin. — ἐφάνη, seulement ici en parlant des apparitions du ressuscité. Marie de Magdala est présentée comme s'il n'avait pas encore été question d'elle. παρ. objecte que la mention de l'expulsion des démons a pour but de faire ressortir la grâce de Jésus-Christ, et cela est bien possible, mais il est vrai aussi que Marie de Magdala, dans les récits précédents, avait montré beaucoup de fidélité, et personne ne peut affirmer que Jésus a apparu d’abord à elle parce qu'il l'avait délivrée de sept démons. En fait c'est.une désignation de sa personne qui la fait connaître au lecteur. C'est ainsi que procède Luc, vu, 2 : Μαρία à καλουμένη Μαγδαληνή, ἀφ᾽ ἧς δαιμόνια ἑπτὰ ἐξεληλύθει, dont la manière explique celle de Me., si même le texte de Mc. n'est pas emprunté à celui de Le. Cette priorité n'est pas contraire à 5. Paul, I Cor. xv, 5 : χαὶ ὅτι ὥφθη Knp&, qui ne dit pas πρῶτον et qui ne parle de Pierre que par rapport aux Apôtres, ne faisant aucune allusion aux saintes femmes. Aussi Fil., Knab., Swete font remarquer combien Renan a exagéré l'importance du rôle de Marie Magdeleine dans la résurrection : « la gloire de la résurrection appartient donc à Marie de Magdala; après Jésus, c'est Marie qui a le plus fait pour la fondation du christianisme » (Les Apôtres, p. 13). Et même ce πρῶτον n'empêche pas de penser que Jésus a apparu tout d’abord à sa très sainte Mère. IL y ἃ ici comme trois ordres d'apparition. Celles aux apôtres et aux disciples, dont parle s. Paul, et qui sont la source du témoignage doctrinal de l'Eglise enseignante; celles aux saintes femmes dont Jésus ἃ voulu récompenser la fidélité, et qui préparent celles dont les Apôtres ont été favorisés; enfin l'apparition à Marie, qui n'avait pas à être relatée dans les documents officiels de l'Église, puisque tout se passait entre le Fils et sa Mère, dans cet ordre suréminent où elle est placée. Knab. cite pour cette opinion Senuzrus, σὲ carmine paschali lib. V, v. 360 s., et Suarez absque ulla dubütatione credendum est Christum post resurrectionem primum omnium matri suae apparuisse; quae sententia ex ipsis terminis adeo est perse credibilis, ut fere sine controversia omnium fidelium et doctorum animis insederit, atque ita docent omnes scriptores catholici qui hanc quaestionem attigerunt (in:3 p., qu. 55, disput. 49, sect. 4, n. 2). L'apparition à Marie de Magdala est évidemment la même que celle que Jo. raconte; elle est ici rappelée en une ligne.
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Cf. Jo. xx, 18. — ἐχεῖνος comme sujet est très rare dans Me. (iv, 20; x, 7} et n’est jamais employé par lui en parlant des disciples. C'est trois fois le cas dans cette finale, ici, v. 11 et v. 20. — πορεύεσθαι est une expression un peu plate, sans pittoresque, que Mc. n'a peut-être pas employée (1x, 30 est plus que douteux) et qui revient aussi trois fois dans cette finale, ici, v. 12 et v. 15; dans Mt. presque trente fois, dans Le. presque cinquante fois. — τοῖς per” αὐτοῦ désigne les disciples; c'est ici une sorte de terme assez vague formé d'après ur, 14. Le deuil et les pleurs sont naturellement connexes, surtout en Orient où la douleur est très démonstrative. Ce trait se trouve deux fois dans ΠΡ, Petri : ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις πᾶσιν ἐνηστεύομεν καὶ ἐχαθεζόμεθα πενθοῦντες χαὶ χλαίοντες (vi, 27) et ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ δώδεκα μαθηταὶ τοῦ χυρίου ἐχλαίομεν χαὶ ἐλυπούμεθα. D'après cet apocryphe, les apôtres retournent en Galilée, mais, comme les convenances l'imposaient, ils ne partent que le dernier jour des azymes.
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D'après Marie, le Seigneur est vivant; il a done pu apparaître. C’est ce que Loisy ἃ exprimé très bien : « Pour eux, le Sauveur était vivant, par conséquent avec le corps qu'il avait eu avant sa mort. Les conditions d’existence de ce corps étaient différentes, mais c'était le même qui avait été mis dans le tombeau, et que l’on croyait n’y être point demeuré » (11, 744). — θεᾶσθαι, dans Mt., Lc. et surtout Jo. (six fois au moyen, comme ici v. 14) mais non dans Mc. Ici au pass. comme dans Mt. vr, 1; χχπὶ, 5. Les disciples refusent de croire. On voit que l’action de Magdeleine ne va pas très loin et que Celse avait tort (Oric. Contre Cels. n, 55) d'objecter que le premier témoin de la résurrection avait été une folle (γυνὴ πάροιστρος).
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C’est évidemment le même fait que l'apparition aux deux disciples allant à Emmaës, et ce pourrait être un résumé du récit de Le. μετὰ ταῦτα n’est pas une phrase de Mc.; on le trouve dans Le. (év.5 fois; Actes & fois) et dans Jo. (12 fois). En disant ἐξ αὐτῶν, l’auteur se réfère à ceux dont il a été question aux versets précédents; mais comme son expression était générale, on ne peut dire qu'il a voulu marquer les Onze. Nous savons expressément par Le. que les deux n’en étaient pas (Le. xx1v, 33). Si περιπατοῦσιν était seul, on devrait traduire « se promenant », ce qui excluraït un but un peu éloigné. Mais πορευομένοις εἰς ἀγρόν indique que 165 deux disciples allaient à un point déterminé de la campagne ; Jésus leur apparaît pendant qu'ils marchaient. Nous savons par Lc. que le but de leur course était Emmaüs, à soixante stades de Jérusalem, d’après les meilleures autorités. Sur la question topographique qui appartient plutôt au commentaire de Le., cf. RB. 1896, 87-92, nous n'avons ici aucun élément de solution. C’est encore Le. qui nous apprend que l’un des disciples se nommaïit Κλεόπας, — ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ : Jésus avait été pris par Magdeleine pour un jardinier (10.) ;- il fut pris par les deux disciples pour un voyageur (Swete) ; ou plutôt : sous une forme différente de celle qu’il avait avant sa résurrection, sous une forme qui ne permettait pas de le reconnaître : ta breviter innuere videtur quod Luc. 24, 30. 31 narrat (Knab.).
16:13
Les deux ont auprès des autres disciples le même insuccès que Magdeleine. On a mis ce passage en contradiction avec Le., où l'on voit les Onze dire aux deux que Jésus est ressuscité et qu'il ἃ apparu à Simon. De cette contradiction apparente, Knab. conclut que la finale n’a pas été ajoutée, car l’auteur aurait eu soin d'éviter la difficulté. Mais si la finale est de Μο., Le. qui connaissait Mc. aurait dû prendre soin de son côté d'éviter la contradiction apparente. D'ailleurs la difficulté n’est point tellement considérable. La pensée de l’auteur de la finale est que les Onze n'ont été vraiment convaincus que lorsqu'ils ont vu, en d’autres termes, que leur conviction repose sur une expérience personnelle. Mais c’est aussi la pensée de Le.; les apôtres doutent encore (Le. xxiv, 41) quand le Seigneur leur a apparu. À plus forte raison, après avoir raconté aux deux arrivants comme réel un événement aussi inouï, les Apôtres pouvaient se demander ce qu'il en était (Knab.). Le v. 18 de Me. est d'un tel raccourci, comme Je v. 12, qu'il ne s'attache qu'au sentiment qui prépare le mieux la manifestation définitive.
16:14
ὕστερον, rendu par novissime, à fait rapporter cette apparition au jour même de l'Ascension. Bède : novissimum quippe illud est, quod Dominum apostoli in terra viderunt, quando ascendit in coelum, quod factum est quadragesimo die post eius resurrectionem. Mais à ce moment Jésus avait vu plus d'une fois ses disciples, et il n'avait plus à leur reprocher leur incrédulité. 1] s’agit donc plutôt, dans la pensée de l'auteur, de la première apparition aux Onze (Fillion, Knab. cte.). Et, en effet, on ne peut supposer que l’auteur de la finale, surtout s'il est plus récent que Me., n’a pas tenu compte des textes de saint Paul ni de saint Jean. D'après Jo., il est vrai, Thomas était absent: les disciples n'étaient donc que dix, mais les Onze est un terme recu, et nous venons de dire que l’auteur fait abstraction des modalités précises. — ὕστερον s'applique moins au temps réel qu'à la marche du thème. Après avoir apparu à Magdeleinc, puis aux deux, c'est la manifestation définitive (le mot n’est pas du style de Me.; οἵ. Mt. xxr, 37 : ὕστερον δέ [Me. : ἔσχατον]; Mt. xx11, 27 : ὕστεà toute créature. 16 Celui qui croira et sera baptisé, sera sauvé; ρον δέ [Mc. : ἔσχατον), aux Onze eux-mêmes, αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεχα, que la Κρ. a traduit illis, au lieu de épsis (Swete). Les Onze sont à table, ce qui coïncide assez bien — quoique pas strictement — avec Le. xxiv, 41. Schanz et Knab. prétendent que les reproches adressés aux Onze rentrent bien dans la manière de Marc. Mais cela n’est pas exact, et Swete remarque que nulle part les disciples ne sont traités avec autant de rigueur; ὀνειδίζειν n'est jamais employé à leur endroit, non plus que ἀπιστία et σχληροχαρδία. Même Mc. 1v, 40 et var, 17 sont d’un autre ton. Pendant sa vie mortelle, Jésus leur avait reproché l'insuffisance de leur foi, leur cœur peu ouvert à ses enseignements. Maintenant il s’agit d'une incrédulité positive dans un cas déterminé. Avertis par les annonces que le Sauveur leur avait données de sa résurrection, ils auraient dû croire ceux qui l'avaient vu ressuscité (le parf. comme II Tim. n, 8). Sur l'addition du ms. Freer en cet endroit, voir la note sur toute la finale.
16:15
On dirait que nous sommes ici transportés en Galilée; du moins les paroles de Jésus se rapprochent beaucoup de celles qu'il prononce dans Mt. xxvinr, 19, en Galilée. On ἃ déjà signalé cet extrême raccourci, qui est si peu dans la manière de Mc. — Knab. prétend que ces paroles avaient un intérêt spécial pour les Romains. Il est vrai que l’Église romaine devait être chargée de l'apostolat du monde entier plus que toute autre, en vertu de ses prérogatives, mais les paroles de Jésus s'adressent ici à tous les Apôtres, non aux Romains habitant Rome. Mt. ne parle pas autrement. Il serait plus juste de noter que τὸ εὐαγγέλιον est un mot de Mc., ainsi que la prédication de l'Évangile (τ, 14) et dans le monde entier (χπὶ, 10; x1v, 9). Maïs κτίσις dans Mc. (x, 6; xur, 19) signifiait plutôt l'acte créateur tandis qu'ici χτίσις est pris dans le sens paulinien (Rom. vi, 19. 20. 21. 22; Col. 1, 28) pour signifier toutes les créatures, et spécialement les hommes. Dans le style rabbinique ñ%12 signifie aussi un être humain. Tout en s'adressant avant tout et, dans un certain sens, exclusivement aux hommes, la proclamation de l'Évangile atteint par eux la création tout entière, dont Jésus-Christ est le Roi.
16:16
L'Évangile prêché, le monde et chaque personne devront prendre position. D'un côté la foi, suivie du salut; de l’autre le refus de croire et la condamnation. Celui qui aura cru aura aussi accepté le baptême qui le fait éntrer parmi les fidèles. Sur ce salut, au sens spirituel, cf. vur, 35; x, 26; x, 43 maïs non x, 20. Sur la condamnation de l’infidélité, cf. Jo. πι, 18 ὃ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέχριται, où le sens johannique est d'une condamnation mystique déjà prononcée, tandis que κατακριθήσεται indique plutôt la condamnation au tribunal du dernier jugement; καταχρίνειν d'une condamnation officielle Me, x, 83; χιν, 64; Mt, Le. L'antithèse est dans l'acceptation par Îa foi ou dans le refus de l'Évangile. Il faut le prendre avec toutes ses conséquences, c'est-à-dire avec des œuvres conformes à la foi. Ce serait aussi trop insister sur le sens strict que de refuser le baptême aux enfants, sous prétexte qu'ils n'ont pas encore la foi. Le verbe ἀπιστεῖν dans le sens de refuser sa foi à de (prétendus) miracles, Sylloge… 802, 24 : ἀπίστει τοῖς ἰάμασιν.
16:17
Jésus promet à ceux qui auront cru le don des miracles, non pas à quiconque aura cru, τῷ πιστεύσαντι, mais à la collectivité, c'est-à-dire à quelques-uns selon l'opportunité. Quoique les miracles de l'ordre psychologique ne soient pas inférieurs aux autres, cependant ils servent moins aisément de signes, σημεῖα, que des miracles d'un ordre plus sensible, et c'est bien de ces derniers qu'il est ici question. Un certain nombre de cas sont cités comme typiques. L'expulsion des démons a été souvent relevée par Me., soit de la part de Jésus (1, 34. 39), soit comme pouvoir donné aux disciples (μι. 15), soit même comme opérée par un étranger ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι, « au nom de » Jésus (1x, 38). A plus forte raison en sera-t-il ainsi dans la suite. Les faits sont attestés par 5, Justin, Dial, 76 : καὶ νῦν ἡμεῖς οἱ πιστεύοντες... τὰ δαιμόνια πάντα χαὶ πνεύματα πονηρὰ ἐξορχίζοντες ὑποτασσόμενα fuiv ἔχομεν (οἷ, eod. loc. 30); par Tertullien. Ad Scap. πὶ: daemones autem non tantum non respuimus verum et repincèmus et quotidie traducimus et de hominibus expellimus, sicut plurimis notum est; par s. lrénée, cité par Eus. ZZ. £. V, vu, 4-6. Dans ce tableau remarquable des dons spirituels accordés à l'Église, l'évèque de Lyon s'inspire des faits et non directement du texte de Mc. Il cite les démons expulsés, les presciences, visions et paroles prophétiques, les guérisons de malades et mème des résurrections, puis le don des langues, la manifestation des secrets du cœur et l'explication des mystères de Dieu. Voici les passages qui se rapprochent le plus de notre texte : οἱ μὲν γὰρ δαίμονας ἐλαύνουσιν βεδαίως χαὶ ἀληθῶς... ἄλλοι δὲ τοὺς χάμνοντας διὰ τῆς τῶν χειρῶν ἐπιθέσεως ἰῶνται καὶ ὑγιεῖς ἀποχαθιστᾶσιν.., χαθῶς χαὶ πολλῶν ἀχούομεν ἀδελφῶν ἐν τῇ ἐχχλησία,., παντοδαπαῖς λαλούντων διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος γλώσσαις. Eusèbe (ἡ, 4.) et 5. Grégoire (Hom. in Fvang. ΧΧΙΧ, ἃ) avaient le sentiment que ces dons avaient été donnés à la primitive Eglise pour développer la foi dans des circonstances où tout lui était contraire. Néanmoins les paroles du Sauveur ne sont pas restreintes à un temps déterminé, et le don des miracles a toujours existé dans l'Église. Les langues sont « nouvelles » par rapport à ceux qui ne les savaient pas; xœvais est certain quoique omis par de bonnes autorités textuelles sans que le sens soit changé. Sur le don des langues, cf. l’article très suggestif du R. P. O'Reilly, O. P., dans American Ecclestastical Review, juillet 1910.
16:18
Les serpents ne feront point de mal; cf. Is. x1, 8 : xat παιδίον νήπιον ἐπὶ τρωγλῶν ἀσπίδων, Jésus avait déjà (dans Le. x, 19} donné à ses disciples le pouvoir de marcher sur les serpents. L'incident arrivé à s. Paul (Act. xxvI, 3 5.) est un cas de ce genre. Évidemment il ne s’agit pas de jongler avec les serpents venimeux. — θανάσιμον, cf. Syllose. 815, 2 : φάρμακα θανάσιμα], Papias racontait un trait semblable de Justus Barsabas (Eus. Æ. Æ. III, χχχιχ, 9) : ὡς δηλητήριον φάρμαχον ἐμπιόντος χαὶ μηδὲν ἀηδὲς διὰ τὴν τοῦ χυρίου χάριν ὁπομείναντος. Les Acta Johannis (9 et 10; éd. Bonnet, p. 156 5.) font boire à 5. Jean un φάρμαχον θανάσιμον, sans qu'il en soit incommodé. On raconte un trait semblable de s. Louis Bertrand, apôtre de la Nouvelle-Grenade. — L'imposition des mains dans ce cas n'a rien de rituel; c’est une imitation de ce qu'avait fait Jésus γι, 5. Les disciples feront ee qu'a fait le Maître, comme il le promet aussi dans Jo. χιν, 12 ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῷ χἀχεῖνος ποιήσει, καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποιήσει.
16:19
ὃ μὲν οὖν qui commence ce verset est en opposition avec ἐχεῖνοι δέ du v. 20. D'un côté 18 vie céleste de Jésus, de l’autre Le travail des siens sur la terre. ὁ χύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς ([ησοὺς n’est pas critiquement certain) ne se trouve pas dans les évangiles si ce n’est Le. xxiv, 3 (pas absolument certain). L’expression s'explique bien par l'entrée de Jésus dans la gloire et est fréquente dans les Actes. - . - — μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι n'est pas entendu au sens strict par les exégètes catholiques qui, presque unanimement, reconnaissent dans l'apparition précédente celle du soir de la Résurrection. En effet ce serait contredire la donnée formelle de Act. τ, 3. Gette exégèse est assurément légitime, mais il faut donc reconnaître qu'il y a quelquefois dans les écrits inspirés une perspective qui tromperait si l'on n'avait pas d’autres textes inspirés pour guides, et permettre que le même criterium soit appliqué dans d’autres cas. La réponse est d’ailleurs plus solide si la finale de Marc est un résumé rapide, d'un auteur plus récent que Me., dont on ne peut soupçonner qu'il ait voulu s’écarter de la tradition. — ἀνελήμφθη, comme pour Élie (IV Regn. un, 11; Eceli. xzvin, 9; 1 Mac. 1, 58); Vg. assumptus est. Ce terme semble indiquer la vertu de Dieu qui enlève Jésus au ciel. L'Église grecque a conservé ce terme (ἢ ἀνάληψις) pour la fête que nous nommons l'Ascension, le nom d’Assomption étant employé pour Marie. Le N. T. emploie soit un terme qui marque comme ici la force qui enlève Jésus (Act. τ, 9 : ἐπαρθῆναι), soit des termes qui marquent sa vertu propre, ἀναθῆναι (Jo. vi, 62; xx, 17, bis), πορευθῆναι els οὐρανόν (1 Pet. 111, 22), διεληλυθέναι τοὺς οὐρανούς (Fleb. 1v, 14), et c'est de ce côté qu'ont incliné les Credo; cf. Symb. apost. sec. ord. romanum : ascendit ad coelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis; d'après s. Cyr. de Jér. : καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς --- χαὶ χαθίσαντα ἐχ δεξιῶν τοῦ πατρός (DENZ., 10° éd., 6. 7), et le symbole de Nicée. La session à la droite du Père est naturellement une expression métaphorique; c'est une vérité de foi qui n’a pu être constatée par des témoins, non plus d’ailleurs que le terme de l’Ascension de Jésus. L'auteur n'écrit plus ici comme historien. Il constate au nom de la foi l'accomplissement d'une partie de ce que Jésus avait annoncé aux sanhédrites (χιν, 62).
16:20
L'auteur représente la prédication de l'Évangile à vol d'oiseau. Il n'a pas dit où étaient les apôtres, il ne dit pas d'où ils sortent. On doit penser à Jérusalem, puisque rien n'indique qu'on s'en soit éloigné. Π n’est question ni de la descente du Saint-Esprit, ni de la fondation de l'Eglise de Jérusalem. On dirait simplement la réalisation de l'ancienne prophétie : ἐκ γὰρ Σειὼν ἔξελεύσεται νόμος, καὶ λόγος Κυρίου ἐξ Ἱερουσαλήμ. (Is. 11, 8). Cette vue schématique n'exclut évidemment pas les modalités de l’histoire qu'elle néglige de raconter. S. Justin ἃ eu en vue ce passage en écrivant : ἀπὸ “Ἱερουσαλὴμ. of ἀπόστολοι αὐτοῦ ἐξελθόντες πανταχοῦ ἐχήρυξαν (Apol. I, 45). — πανταχοῦ, l'horizon est le monde entier (autrement dans Me. 1, 28). La tâche est immense, mais quoi de plus consolant que cette assistance de Jésus ressuscilé ? Il travaille avec ses Apôtres, et comme Dieu garantit le succès. — βεδαιοῦν se dit du vendeur qui garantit l'acheteur contre toute éviction, et qui assure la qualité de la marchandise. Jésus montre par les effets qui accompagnent la parole que c'est bien la parole de vérité. Le caractère divin de cette garantie est mis en relief par Heb. τι, 3. 4. Swete cite dans Plut. l'alliance des deux mots βεδαιοῦν et συνεργεῖν : τοῦ βεδαιοῦντος nat συνεργοῦντος πρὸς νόησιν καὶ πίστιν. Les σημεῖα ne sont pas seulement ceux des vv. 17 et 18, c'est tout ce qui prouve la vérité et la sainteté de la doctrine évangélique. La FINALE DE Marc (xvr, 9-20). À propos de la finale du second évangile, on peut aborder deux questions : celle de canonicité, et celle d'authenticité littéraire. Ou plutôt le premier point n'est pas en question pour les catholiques il est défini par l'autorité de l'Eglise; nous pouvons seulement montrer le bien-fondé de cette décision. Le second point au contraire peut être agité comme une question débattue (1). Les protestants ne distinguent pas ces deux points de vue, parce que les questions de canonicité n'ont plus d'importance pratique pour eux. Ce n’est pas une raison pour imiter leur méthode. La canonicité suppose seulement l'examen de la tradition; la question d'authenticité littéraire dépend en outre de l’examen de la finale ellemême (2). Nous plaçons donc en tête les faits de tradition indispensables pour l'examen des deux points. | - 1. — La tradition diplomatique et patristique. 1) Les manuscrits. — Les manuscrits sont répartis en trois groupes, selon qu'ils n'ont pas du tout de finale, ou qu'ils ont une finale courte, ou qu'ils ont la finale reçue (xvr, 9-20). Pour la clarté nous commençons par le premier cas. À. N'ont absolument rien après le v. 8, les manuscrits grecs Vaticanus et Sinaiticus, le manuscrit syriaque du Sinaï, quelques manuscrits arméniens, entre autres le codex 1315 de Gregory, de l'an 887. L'intention de ces mss. de terminer l’évangile au v. 8 est évidente, car ils ajoutent « évangile de Marc », ou « fin de l'évangile de Marc ». On a seulement noté que le Vaticanus a laissé en blanc non seulement la fin de la colonne, mais encore la colonne suivante, de sorte qu'il restait assez d'espace, en serrant un peu, pour écrire la finale que nous nommons dès maintenant canonique. Toutefois il ne s'est pas arrêté à l’idée de la transcrire, et il l’a, en fait, exclue. On ne peut nier l'autorité considérable des mss. B et N, les seuls que nous possédions du 1v° siècle. L'autorité du ms. syriaque du Sinaï est moindre. Il représente, il est vrai, une voix de l’ancienne version syriaque, mais le ms. Gureton, qui appartient à la même version, contient les versets 17 à 20 (1). De plus, la plupart des critiques regardent cette ancienne version comme postérieure à la traduction syriaque du Diatessaron de Tatien qui contenait la finale canonique. Je ne suis pas en état d'apprécier exactement la situation des versions arméniennes. M. Conybeare, critique bien informé et des plus indépendants, estime que la version arménienne primitive contenait la finale canonique, et qu'elle ἃ été supprimée depuis parce qu'on croyait savoir en Arménie que Marc n'en était pas l’auteur (2). Les autorités que nous venons de citer sont les seules à omettre la finale. Cette omission devait naturellement laisser des traces dans quelques copies, même quand on comblait la lacune. De là des indications comme τέλος, « fin » après le v. 8, indication d’ailleurs équivoque, ou la mention que ce qui suit ne se trouve pas partout. JL serait inutile et presque impossible de MARTIN, introduction à la crilique textuelle du N.T. Partie pratique, tome II, ScRIVENER, À plain introduction to the criticism of the new Testameni, 4° éd., 1894, 11, 337-844, Contre : Zaun, Geschichte des Neutestamentlichen Kanons, 1890, 11, 910-938 et Einleitung in das Neue Testament, 1899, IT, 227-240. SweTE, Commentaire, {ntroduclion, Grtr-cxxxr. Wesrcorr et Hort, The new Testament, Introduction, appendix, 28-51. faire le relevé exact de ces notes, on a cité aussi une trace de cette tradition dans un lectionnaire arabe qui s'arrête au v. 8 (1). B. L'argument qu'on tire de l'absence de la finale canonique dans quelques témoins est fortifié par l'existence d’une finale plus courte. Il paraît en effet évident que celui qui a composé la finale courte ne reconnaissait pas l'autorité indiscutable de la finale canonique. Dans ce cas, en effet, à supposer qu'il eût pensé que la finale canonique était mal soudée à l'évangile, que le v. 9 n'était pas une suite convenable du v. 8, il lui eût sufli de dire que les saintes femmes avaient fait leur commission, c'est-à-dire d'ajouter une ligne ou deux entre 8 et 9 sans rejeter le reste. La finale courte ne se trouve toute seule que dans le ms. 4, de l’ancienne latine, et, si je comprends bien la note de Tischendorf, dans deux mss. éthiopiens (2). Le codex 4 (bobiensis, du 1v° ou du v° 5.) est celui qui représente le mieux la tradition africaine. En corrigeant le texte de ses erreurs évidentes on ἃ la rédaction (H. von Soden) : 9 omnia autem quaecumque praecepta erant eis, qui cum petro erant, breviter exposuerunt. post haec et ipse iesus adparuit et ab oriente usque in occidentem misit per illos sanciam et incorruptam praedicalionem salutis aeternae. Amen. Le copiste du ms. # ne connaissait probablement que cette finale. Le copiste du codex Ψ (3) connaissait la finale canonique, mais préférait la finale courte, car il insère la courte sans aucune remarque (4), et ne cite la canonique qu'après, en la faisant précéder de ces mots : ἔστιν καὶ ταῦτα φερόμενα μετὰ τὸ ἐφοδοῦντο γάρ. Dans les autres cas où reparaît la finale courte, sa situation est moins favorable. Trois onciaux (5) la donnent avant la finale canonique, mais après avoir marqué que l’évangile est terminé. Voici par exemple la disposition de l'excellent ms. L, qui suit B de très près (viré siècle). Après epobouvro γαρ, quelques signes pour marquer la fin. Puis : φερετε nov χαὶ ταυτὰ πάντα De τὰ παρηγγελμενα τοῖς περι τὸν πέτρον συντομὼς εξηγγιίλαν μετὰ ds saura καὶ αὐτὸς o ἴα, ἄπο ἀνατολῆς χαι ἀχρι ὄυσεως εξαπεστιλεν δι᾽ αὐτῶν ἐφούουντο γὰρ Avastas de πρωΐ... ἀμὴν κατὰ uaoxov. Donc L laisse le choix à ses lecteurs entre la finale courte et la finale canonique. Les deux autres onciaux sont lacuneux vers la fin, l'un d'eux (6) met la fin après le v. 8, II a donc perpétué explicitement en grec la tradition des deux mss. du quatrième siècle ; il est du Sinaï. Mais on ne peut dire que ces trois onciaux préfèrent la finale courte à la longue. Reproduisant les deux, ils devaient mettre la première celle qui se soudait le plus étroitement au v. 8. Après cela la finale brève ne se trouve plus qu'en marge du cursif 274 (Paris, Nationale, x® s.), de la syriaque harkléenne (1), de deux mss. coptes en dialecte memphitique (2). On voit que l’autorité de cette finale ἃ toujours été des plus restreintes et qu'elle ἃ constamment été en diminuant. Il ne saurait être question de la regarder ni comme canonique, ni comme authentique, et Nestle lui a fait trop d'honneur en l’imprimant à la suite de l’autre comme si elle avait les mêmes droits. En voici le texte critique d'après Swete, à titre de renseignement πάντα δὲ τὰ παρηγγελμένα τοῖς περὶ τὸν Πέτρον συντόμως ἐξήγγειλαν. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐφάνη αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς χαὶ ἄχρι δύσεως ἐξαπέστειλεν δι᾿ αὐτῶν τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἄφθαρτον κήρυγμα τῆς αἰωνίου σωτηρίας. Le principal intérêt de la finale, c'est, nous l'avons dit, d'attester un état du texte qui ne contenait pas la finale canonique. Cependant il faut maintenir l'argument dans ses limites propres. La finale courte est trop peu répandue pour être très ancienne. Elle ne peut donc prouver qu'une chose, c'est que, au moment où elle a été écrite, il y avait des mss. qui se terminaient au v. 8, ce que personne ne peut nier. L'auteur de la finale courte n'admettait pas l'autorité de la finale canonique, ou n’en avait pas connaissance, mais le peu de succès de sa propre tentative montre que le plus grand nombre, l’unanimité morale, n’a pas pensé comme lui. C. Le troisième état des mss. est l'existence de la finale canonique. Ce que nous avons relevé jusqu’à présent est l’exception : il suffirait donc de dire que tous les autres témoins ont la finale. Citons cependant : tous les mss. grecs sauf KB, et dès le cinquième siècle. Tous les mss. de l’ancienne latine, sauf &; il faut ajouter que α et ὁ sont lacuneux. Tous les mss. de la Vulgate. Chez les Syriens, le Diatessaron de Tatien, le ms. Gureton de l’ancienne version syriaque, la pechittä, les trois mss. de la version hiérosolymitaine, l'édition harkléenne. Tous les mss. coptes du dialecte memphitique examinés, soit une trentaine. ΤΙ semble assez certain que la version sahidique contenait la finale; quoique tous les mss. soient lacuneux, il Υ a une trace du v. 20 (3). (Ὁ) M. Delaporte a photographié à Homs un évangéliaire de cette recension. D’après lui :« A la fin de Marc xv1, 8, une note marginale indique que là se termine l’évangile dans les livres arméniens; une autre note, à la page précédente, donne la version de la finale apocryphe de l'évangile, dans les termes connus par la publication de White » (RB. 1907, p. 257). La version gothique. Les mss. éthiopiens sauf deux, à ce qu’il semble. Les mss. arméniens en majorité; la finale a prévalu partout, et nous avons déjà dit que, d’après M. Conybeare, elle faisait partie de la version à son origine. L'examen des manuscrits prouve donc que s’il y a eu des doutes, on ne s'y est pas arrêté. Et cela s’est fait de la même façon dans toute l'Église. Si les doutes ont empêché que cela se fasse sans examen, l'examen a tourné en faveur de la finale, comme le dit la glose si intéressante qui termine la Catena de Marc el δὲ καὶ τὸ, « ἀναστὰς δὲ πρωΐ» μετὰ τὰ ἐπιφερόμενα παρὰ πλείστοις ἀντιγράφοις où κεῖνται ἐν τῷ παρόντι εὐαγγελίῳ, ὡς νόθα νομίσαντες αὐτὰ εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἐξ ἀχριθῶν ἀντιγράφων ἐν πλείστοις εὑρόντες αὐτὰ, καὶ κατὰ τὸ Παλαιστιναῖον Εὐαγγέλιον, ὡς ἔχει à ἀλήθεια Mépuou, συντεθείχαμεν, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ ἐπιρερομένην δεσποτιχὴν ἀνάστασιν, μετὰ τὸ « ἐφοθοῦντο γὰρ », τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ « ἀναστὰς δὲ πρωὶ πρώτῃ σαδδάτου » χαὶ καθ᾽ ἑξῆς, μέχρι τοῦ « διὰ τῶν ἐπαχολουθούντων σημείων. Ἀμήν». ΤΙ est difficile d'admettre que cette glose soit de Victor d’Antioche, qui n'a pas commenté la finale; elle caractérise bien cependant le travail de vérification auquel on s’est livré avant de recevoir la finale, et elle a été reproduite dans plus de vingt cursifs. 2) Les Pères. — Nous examinerons la tradition des Pères dans le mème ordre. Disons d’abord que la finale courte n'a aucune attestation parmi les Pères. Puis voyons ce qu'on allègue contre la finale canonique. C'est d’abord le silence d’un grand nombre de Pères. Tertullien n’en parle pas, ni s. Cyprien, et cela est assez étonnant comme Knabenbauer le reconnaît, puisqu'ils ont traité du baptême (1). On cite encore Origène, Clément d’AL., 5. Athanase, s. Cyrille de Jérusalem, s. Basile, s. Grégoire de Nazianze, etc. Mais ce témoignage purement négatif a moins de force, d'autant qu'il est certain que l'Évangile de s. Marc était moins lu et moins commenté que les autres. Mais il y a le doute positif d'Eusèbe, fort mal disposé envers la finale. Marinus l'avait consulté sur la difficulté de concilier sur le moment de la Résurrection 5. Matthieu qui dit ὀψὲ σαδόάτων et 5. Marc qui dit πρωὶ τῇ ui τῶν σαδ- « On peut, dit-il, répondre de deux manières : Quelqu'un n'admettant pas l'authenticité de cette section, de la péricope qui contient ces mots, pourrait dire qu'elle ne se trouve pas dans tous les exemplaires de l'Évangile selon Marc, car les exemplaires exacts marquent la fin de l’histoire de Marc aux discours du jeune homme qui ἃ apparu aux femmes..., auxquels il ajoute « οἱ « l'ayant entendu, elles s’enfuirent et ne dirent rien à personne, car elles « avaient peur ». À ce point la fin de l'Évangile selon Marc est marquée dans presque tous les exemplaires. Ce qui suit et qui se trouve rarement dans quelques exemplaires, mais non dans tous, serait de trop, et surtout s’il avait quelque contradiction avec le témoignage des autres évangélistes. Voilà ce que quelqu'un pourrait dire, en écartant d'avance et en supprimant toute question superflue. Mais un autre, n'osant rejeter l'autorité de tout ce qui se trouve d'une façon quelconque dans la tradition écrite des Évangiles, dira qu’on peut lire de. deux manières (1) », etc. Suit une solution, qui consiste à rattacher πρωΐ à l'apparition, non à la résurrection. De ce passage d'Eusèbe il semble bien résulter que lui-même n'admettait pas l'autorité canonique de la finale, mais aussi que cette opinion n'aurait pas été suffisamment appuyée à ses yeux sur la tradition textuelle, et qu’elle s’appuyait aussi sur l'inconvénient d’une contradiction avec les autres évangélistes. De plus il sait que son opinion personnelle n'est pas admise de tout le monde, si bien qu’enfin il place la défense évangélique sur le terrain de la canonicité du morceau. Aussi bien ses affirmations sont-elles singulièrement flottantes. D'abord la finale ne se trouve pas dans tous les exemplaires, elle manque aux plus exacts; puis elle se trouve rarement, mais pas dans tous, ce qui serait contradictoire, s’il fallait prendre σπανίως à la lettre. On voit que l'argumentation — que d'ailleurs Eusèbe refuse de prendre à son compte — revient au point de départ au moment où elle allait glisser dans l’exagération. On peut donc conclure seulement que la finale n'était pas dans tous les exemplaires ; que les exemplaires qui ne l'avaient pas étaient les plus exacts, c'est-à-dire des exemplaires critiques, venant peut-être d'Origène; enfin qu'on admettait d'autant plus volontiers la lacune que cela supprimait une difficulté. Il est d’ailleurs très vraisemblable qu'Eusèbe, fidèle à ses principes, n'a pas compris la finale dans la répartition de ses chapitres. Il n'a divisé Marc qu’en 288 sections. Or les copistes en ont ajouté d’autres, jusqu’à 241; c'est donc qu'ils ont dû augmenter le chiffre d'Eusèbe pour tenir compte de la finale (2). Les paroles d'Eusèbe devaient avoir un écho. 53. Jérôme, dans sa lettre à Hedibia, résume la solution d'Eusèbe (3) : fuius quaestionis duplex solutio est; aut enim non recipimus Marci testimonium quod in raris fertur evangelts, omnibus Graeciae libris pene hoc capitulum in fine non habentibus, praesertim cum diversa atque contraria evangelistis ceteris narrare videatur; aut hoc respondendum quod uterque verum dixerit… C'est un extrait, ce n'est point une opinion personnelle. Aussi Jérôme a-t-il maintenu sans hésitation la finale dans sa revision de la Vulgate, et un texte que nous aurons l'occasion de citer indique la même solution. Dans l'Église grecque, les doutes d'Eusèbe sont encore mentionnés de temps en temps, mais personne n'ose plus prendre une position aussi hostile {1}. On peut voir dans Tisechendorf les gloses attribuées à Sévère d’Antioche et à Victor. . Le texte d'Euthymius est particulièrement intéressant, Il commente la finale, ce qui suppose bien qu'il la regarde comme canonique. Son doute porte donc plutôt sur l'authenticité littéraire que sur la canonicité : Φασὶ δέ τινες τῶν ἐξηγητῶν ἐνταῦθα (au v. 8) συμπληροῦσθαι τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον Εὐαγγέλιον" τὰ δὲ ἐφεξῆς προσθήχην εἶναι μεταγενεστέραν. Χρὴ δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἑρμηνεῦσαι, μηδὲν τῇ ἀλυθείᾳ λυμαινομένην. Venons maintenant aux témoignages positifs de la tradition. La situation est encore plus favorable à la canonicité que celle qui résulte des manuscrits. Les mss. qui omettent la finale se prononcent en fait contre celle. Nous avons vu qu'aucun Père, pas même Eusèbe, n'a osé prendre ouvertement ce parti. De plus, tandis que N et B, les deux plus anciens onciaux, sont contraires, les témoignages positifs de la tradition sont antérieurs aux doutes dont nous venons de voir la manifestation. Il n'est guëre douteux que 8. Justin l'ait connue : of ἀπόστολοι αὐτοῦ ἐξελθόντες πανταχοῦ ἐκήρυξαν ({pol. 1, 45). Elle ἃ été citée expressément comme étant de s. Mare par Irénée (III, x, 6) : in fêne autem evangelti ait Marcus : Et quidem dominus Jesus etc., et le texte latin est confirmé par un scholion grec (2) Εἰρηναῖος ὁ τῶν Ἀποστόλων πλησίον, ἐν τῷ πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις γ΄ λόγῳ τοῦτο ἀνήνεγχεν τὸ ῥητὸν ὡς Μάρχῳ εἰρημένον. En Svrie, ce sont aussi les plus anciens auteurs qui reçoivent la finale, la doctrine d'Addaï et Aphraates, sans rappeler le Diatessaron de Tatien (3). Puis. après le silence dont nous avons parlé, la tradition se resoude à l'an- Üquité, sans autre trace de désaccord que le fait d'Eusèbe et de ses adhérents. La finale canonique est citée sans aucune hésitation par 5. Ambroise, s. Augustin et tous les latins après eux. En Égypte et en Orient, on cite Didyme (4), 5. Épiphane (5), s. Chrysostome (6), les Constitutions apostoliques (7) etc., etc. Il n'est pas certain que Celse ait eu en vue la finale de Marc en parlant de Marie de Magdala comme d'une folle, parce qu'il a pu songer à s. Jean. Mais elle a été visée par un ennemi du christianisme, combattu par Macaire de Magnésie, et qui pourrait être Porphyre (8). Julien l'Apostat la citait aussi, d'après un commentaire arabe inédit allégué par M. Martin (9). 2. — La canonicité de Mc. XVI, 9-20. Voilà les faits dans les grandes lignes, et une découverte particulière n’en altérerait probablement pas sensiblement la physionomie. C'est d'après ces témoignages traditionnels que la question de canonicité devait être tranchée. Elle l’a été par le Concile de Trente. Le canon : δὲ quis autem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus, prout in Ecclesia catholica legi consueverunt et in veteri vulgata latina editione habentur, pro sacris et canonicis non susceperit… a. s. s'applique à la finale de Marc qui est notoirement une partie de la Vulgate latine. Et la question soulevée par Les négations protestantes ne pouvait être résolue autrement. La finale, nous l'avons vu, avait été reçue partout, et figurait, au moment du concile, dans toutes les éditions autorisées de la Bible. Il y avait déjà, en fait, chose jugée par le témoignage de toute l'Église. De plus cet accord se retrouve aussi haut que nous puissions remonter. S. Justin et s. Irénée sont témoins pour l'Asie Mineure, Rome et la Gaule, la doctrine d'Addaï et Aphraates pour la plus ancienne tradition syrienne, et les modernes rejoignent cette antiquité sans qu'il se soit produit même une seule opposition formelle parmi les Pères. Le silence de certains manuscrits, quelle que soit leur autorité, n’est point un argument décisif en sens contraire. Il suppose un doute, mais un doute qui a été résolu dans le sens de l’affirmative. L'absence de finale ne prouve même pas que l'évangile ἃ été au début publié sans finale. Plaçons-nous dans l'hypothèse des critiques. Supposons que certains personnages ecclésiastiques ont soupçonné, ou même qu'ils ont su que la finale n'était pas du même auteur que l'Évangile. Avec des idées étroites, disons inexactes, sur la canonicité, ils ont pu conclure que la finale, n'étant point littérairement authentique, n'était pas non plus écriture inspirée, et la retrancher. Nous avons vu que d’après Conybeare, c'est probablement ce qui s’est passé en Arménie. La version arménienne contenait d'abord la finale, mais, comme on savait, ou qu'on croyait savoir qu'elle était d’Aristion, on l’a mise de côté dans certaines copies. Ce quis'est passé en Arménie, d'après ce critique, a pu se passer pour les mss. grecs. Je ne crois pas possible qu'on ait osé écarter un fragment de Marc sous prétexte qu'il n'était pas en harmonie avec les autres évangiles; mais, si l'on doutait que Marc fût l'auteur de la finale, on a très bien pu refuser de la copier avec son évangile. La lacune est donc peut-être due à une opération critique. 1. Église n'a pas à s'occuper de ces considérations. Elle constate que la finale est reçue par des autorités de premier ordre aussi loin que remontent les témoignages, et surtout qu'elle est reçue partout ; or elle n’a pu se tromper sur un point aussi grave, qui appartient à la foi. Le-Concile de Trente n’a fait qu'expliciter son jugement. 3. — Authenticité littéraire. Mais la question littéraire ne se pose pas de la même façon. Les auteurs catholiques savent distinguer entre l'authenticité canonique et l'authenticité littéraire. Et même affirmer qu’un ouvrage est dû à tel auteur, ce n’est pas nier qu'il ait été peut-être terminé par un autre. Ceux qui tiennent le plus fermement que Moïse aécrit lui-même le Deutéronome ne refusent pas d’admettre qu'un autre auteur y a ajouté le récit de 88 mort. On peut donc discuter très librement la question de savoir si c'est 8. Marc qui a écrit les douze derniers versets du deuxième évangile, en d’autres termes, 5118 sont de la même main que le reste. Pour se prononcer sur ce point, il ne suffit plus d'examiner la tradition, manuscrite ou patristique, il faut aussi aborder l'examen de la finale ellemême. La meilleure solution sera sans doute celle qui découlera le plus naturellement du double ordre de faits qui auront été constatés. Nous n'avons pas à recommencer l'examen de la tradition, maïs il faut cependant essayer d'interpréter le fait anormal de l’omission de la finale dans de si graves autorités. Deux hypothèses se présentent. Ou bien l'omission représente l’état primitif du texte, ou bien elle s’est produite ensuite pour une raison quelconque. Encore faudrait-il concevoir une raison. Supposerait-on que la dernière feuille de l'évangile s'étant détachée par accident, on a copié un manuscrit tronqué? Mais si cet accident n’est pas arrivé à l’archétype lui-même, comment ne s’est-on pas préoccupé de le réparer ? Et si l'accident est arrivé à l'original, où a-t-on pris la finale authentique ? Dira-t-on que Marc avait écrit une autre finale qu’on a enlevée parce qu'elle était en contradiction avec les autres évangélistes ? C'est l'opinion de plusieurs rationalistes, mais combien de contradictions apparentes n’a-t-on pas laissé subsister ! Comment aucune trace de la finale authentique n'est-elle parvenue jusqu’à nous? MM. Zahn, Gregory, Loisy, se refusent à accepter cette solution, en effet parfaitement arbitraire. On ne prétendra pas non plus que c’est la finale canonique qui a été retranchée parce qu'elle n'était pas d'accord avec 8. Luc. La difficulté n’est pas plus grave que tant d’autres. Et qui eût osé toucher à un texte reconnu comme étant de la même main que tout l'évangile, de la main de Marc, disciple de Pierre (1)? Que si l'on est obligé de conclure que l’omission représente un état primitif du second évangile, les difficultés ne sont guère moins graves. Marc, ou un auteur quelconque, a-t-il pu terminer un livre aussi brusquement ? M. Loisy l’a cru : « Quant à la forme abrupte de la conclusion, elle n’a rien d'étonnant pour un livre aussi mal composé que Mare, et de la part d’un écrivain sans expérience, qui ne se piquait pas de littérature. La conclusion du troisième évangile et celle des Actes ne sont pas beaucoup mieux réussies » (2). Ce jugement est injuste pour Marc, et les exemples ne prouvent rien, car le troisième Evangile n’était qu'un premier livre qui devait être suivi par les Actesetles Actes ont un terme assez normal. Personne n'a été tenté de compléter les deux écrits de 5. Luc. Non, le v. 8 de Mare n'est point la terminaison régulière d’un livre. On peut s’en rapporter là-dessus au jugement des anciens, qui ne s’en sont jamais tenus là, sauf dans trois manuscrits. La seule hypothèse admissible, qui se place pour aïnsi dire entre les deux autres, c’est que, si Marc a vraiment terminé son livre au v. 8, il se proposait d'ajouter quelque chose, et qu’il en a été empêché. Par quoi? nous ne saurions le dire, et il est inutile d'imaginer les hypothèses, comme par exemple qu'il se proposait de faire de l'apparition de Jésus aux Apôtres le début d’un livre dans le genre des Actes. L'ouvrage de Marc étant demeuré inachevé, quelqu'un y aurait ajouté une finale, pour qu'elle fit désormais partie intégrante du livre canonique. Et l'on comprendrait très bien que cette finale, publiée après une première édition, n'ait pas été transmise dans tous les manuscrits. C'est là une hypothèse qui s'accorde parfaitement avec ce que révèle l'examen critique de Ia finale. Il y ἃ trois raisons très graves de penser que la finale n’est pas de la même main que le reste de l'Évangile, 1. Entre le v. 8 et le v. 9 il y a solution de continuité. Il est déjà étrange que les saintes femmes ne fassent pas la commission dont on les ἃ chargées. Ce n'est point seulement l'impression des critiques modernes, c’est aussi celle des anciens qui ont ajouté la finale courte. Il est encore plus étrange que l'une de ces femmes, Marie de Magdala, nous soil présentée dans la finale comme si elle paraissait pour la première fois. Et de même le fait de la résurrection est affirmé sans être relié aux paroles de l'ange. 2, Cette finale est un résumé. Tandis que Marc raconte d’une façon toujours expressive et pittoresque, avec une vue précise et détaillée des choses, la finale va, de l'apparition à Marie de Magdala au matin de Pâque jusqu’à l'Ascension du Sauveur, sans marquer aucune nuance de temps ni de lieu, On ne peut l’accorder avec 5. Luc qu’en reconnaissant qu’elle ἃ le caractère d'un schéma rapide. Mème dans le récit de la tentation, Marc, plus court que Matthieu et que Luc, avait su garder beaucoup mieux son caractère propre et rapporter un trait particulier (1). Le seul point développé dans la finale est le discours du Sauveur {xvi, 14-18), contrairement à la manière ordinaire de Mare qui fait plus de place aux circonstances des faits qu'aux paroles du Seigneur. 3. Si ce n'est pas le style de Marc, les expressions sont aussi très différentes. On pourra s’en assurer en lisant le commentaire. Ce sont là des raisons de critique interne, et il faudrait peut-être Les sacrifier, malgré l'évidence qu'elles ont pour ceux qui sont accoutumés à ces études, si elles étaient condamnées par les témoignages externes. Mais quand on compare ce fait à cet autre que des manuscrits très anciens, de l'Afrique à la Syrie, en passant par la Palestine et l'Égypte, omettent la finale, on est 1 acculé à choisir entre deux hypothèses. Ou vraiment l’évangile ne contenait pas d’abord la finale, ou elle ἃ été retranchée parce qu'on y a reconnu la l main d’un autre auteur. Dans les deux cas, Marc n’en serait pas l’auteur, () Me. 1, 1258. Loin que cette opinion soit nouvelle, nous l'avons rencontrée expressément chez Euthymius. Elle est proposée ici cependant sous toutes réserves, comme la plus probable, et avec une restriction sur laquelle il faut insister. On dit ordinairement parmi les critiques que la finale dans xvi, 9-11 résume Jo. xx, 1-18 avec Le. vin, 2; dans xvi, 12-13 elle résumerait Le. xx1v, 15- 35. 1] me paraît cependant peu probable que la finale résume d'après l'évangile de 5. Jean. On n'a guère de raison de supposer qu'elle s'inspire de Jean que les νν. 9 et 10. Ils n'ont de commun avec Jean que la première apparition à Marie de Magdala, que l'auteur pouvait connaître par tradition. Dans Jean il n’est pas dit du tout que Marie ne rencontra que de l'incrédulité auprès des disciples. Quant à Luc, il semble que la finale lui a emprunté les sept démons de Marie et l'épisode des deux disciples; mais le discours de Jésus aux disciples prouve bien que l’auteur ne se contentait pas de résumer, Il disposait d'une tradition qu'il a mise en œuvre avec une certaine indépendance. Il est d’ailleurs très probable que la finale a été ajoutée peu de temps après que le second évangile ἃ commencé à se répandre dans le publie, sans quoi elle aurait plus difficilement obtenu l'autorité que lui reconnaît déjà très probablement s. Justin et certainement s. frénée. Peut-on savoir quel est l'auteur de Ia finale? En novembre 1891, M. F. C. Conybeare a découvert dans la bibliothèque du Catholicos arménien à Edschmiazin un ms. des Évangiles de l’an 986, dans lequel les douze derniers versets de Mc. sont précédés de la rubrique : « du prêtre Ariston ». Cet Ariston ne peut être Ariston de Pella, vers 135. On a pensé que c'était Aristion, dont parlait Papias comme d'un disciple du Seigneur (1), et dont il avait reproduit dans son ouvrage quelques relations des discours du Seigneur. MM. Conybeare, Swete, Gregory (2) etc. acceptent cette hypothèse. M. Zahn l'a modifiée de la façon suivante. Il suppose que le rédacteur de la finale n’a emprunté aux diégèses d'Aristion que les vv. 14-18, précédés, dans le texte d’Aristion, de l'addition Freer dont nous aurons à parler. Cette opinion ne va pas cependant sans difficulté. Si les diégèses d'Aristion d'où la finale serait issue, en tout ou en partie, figuraient dans Papias, Eusèbe n'aurait pas manqué de se servir de ce fait contre l'authenticité de la finale. S'il n’a nommé personne. c’est qu’il n'avait rien à dire. Si au contraire la finale ne figurait pas dans les diégèses rapportées par Papias, com- (LL. EI, XXXIX, 14 : καὶ ἄλλας δὲ τῇ ἰδίᾳ γραφῇ παραδίδωσιν ᾿Αριστίωνος τοῦ πρόσθεν δεδηλωμένου τῶν τοῦ κυρίου λόγων διηγήσεις καὶ τοῦ πρεσθυτέρου Ἰωάννον παραδόσεις. ment pouvait-on être informé en Arménie au xe siècle d'un fait dont Eusèbe n'avait pas connaissance au 1v° ? Il est donc impossible de s'arrêter à l'opinion de Zahn, et on ne peut proposer la tradition arménienne que sous toutes réserves. Elle prouve du moins qu'on croyait savoir dans ce milieu que Me. n’était pas l’auteur de la finale, et qu'on se préoccupait du véritable auteur. Quel que soit d’ailleurs l’auteur, il est très peu vraisemblable qu'il ait écrit la finale dans le but de compléter le second évangile. Cela résulte avec assez d’évidence de la comparaison de la finale canonique avec la finale courte, qui n’a, elle, d'autre raison d'être que de terminer l’évangile qui semblait inachevé. Tout ce qui prouve que la finale n’est pas de s. Marc prouve aussi qu'elle n’a pas été écrite directement en vue de ce qui précède. Selon toute apparence, un morceau déjà écrit, dont on savait qu'il émanait d'une main autorisée, a été ajouté au second évangile sans qu'on se préoccupät d'établir une soudure qui dissimulât le raccord. Et cela même est une preuve du respect qu'on savait dû à cette finale elle-même, sans parler de celui qui était dû à l’évangile. La finale n'est donc pas l'œuvre d'un recenseur sans mission qui se serait cru le droit de retoucher un écrit inspiré, mais un fragment émané, sinon d'un apôtre, du moins d'un disciple du Seigneur dont l'autorité était reconnue. On voit que les doutes sur l'authenticité littéraire ne comportent aucune suspicion contre la canonicité. &. — L'addition Freer. On avait depuis longtemps remarqué une note de 5. Jérôme (1) : 7π quibusdam exemplaribus et maxime in graecis codicibus iuxta Marcum in fine eius evangelii scribitur : Postea cum accubuissent undecim apparuit οἷς lesus et exprobraoit incredulitatem et duritiam cordis eorum, quia his qui viderant eum resurgentem non crediderunt. Et illi satisfactebant dicentes : Saeculum istud iniquitatis et incredulitatis sub Satana (2) est, qui (3) non sinit per immundos spiritus veram Dei apprehendi virtuiem. Idcirco iam nunc revela tustitiam tuam. L'addition se trouvait donc après le v. 14 de Mc., et 5. Jérôme avait le texte du ms. grec sous les yeux, puisqu'il improvisait la traduction de ce v. 14, traduit autrement dans l’anc. lat. et la Vulgate. Un ms. grec de ce type a enfin été découvert en Égypte, et acquis par M. Freer, de Detroit (États-Unis), en déc. 1906 (4). Il contient même plus que ne cite 5. Jérôme, Voici le texte, avec quatre corrections dont deux sont assez évidentes, selon les coupures proposées par Gregory (5) 1 χἀχεῖνοι ἀπελογοῦντο (6) λέγοντες" ? ὅτι ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος τῆς ἀνομίας καὶ τῆς ἀπιστίας ὑπὸ τὸν σατανᾶν ἐστιν, 3 ὃ μὴ ἐῶν τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν πνευμάτων ἀχαθάρτων (1) ὁ τὴν ἀλήθειαν 208 θεοῦ καταλαδέσθαι (χαὶ (3) δόναμιν" 5 διὰ τοῦτο, ἀποκάλυψον σοῦ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἤδη, 8 ἐχεῖνο: ἔλεγον τῷ γοιστῷ" 7 mal ὃ χριστὸς ἐχείνοις προσέλεγεν᾽ ὅτι πεπλήρωται ὃ ὅρος τῶν ἐτῶν τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σατανᾷ, 9 ἀλλὰ ἐγγίζει ἀλλα δεινά (9)" χαὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτησάντων ἐνὼ (4) παρεδόθην εἷς θάνατον, 11 ἵνα ὁποστρέψωσιν εἷς τὴν ἀλήθειαν nai μηχέτι ἁμαρτήσωσιν, 13 ἵνα τὴν ἐν τῷ οὐρανδ) πνευματικὴν χαὶ ἄφθαοτον τῆς δικαιοσύνης δόξαν χληρονομήσωσιν — ἀλλὰ 15 NOTES χ. τ. À. Ce que l'on peut traduire ainsi « Et ceux-ci alléguërent pour leur défense : « Ce siècle d'iniquité et d'in- « crédulité est sous la domination de Satan qui ne permet pas que ce qui est « sous le joug des esprits impurs conçoive la vérité et la puissance de Dieu: « révèle donc dès maintenant ta justice ». C'est ce qu'ils disaient au Christ, et le Christ leur répondit : « Le terme des années du pouvoir de Satan est « comble; et cependant d’autres choses terribles sont proches. Et j'ai été livré « à la mort pour ceux qui ont péché. afin qu'ils se convertissent à la vérité et « qu'ils ne pèchent plus. afin qu'ils héritent de la gloire de justice spirituelle « et incorruptible qui est dans le ciel. Mais allez... » Nous n'avons pas à faire le commentaire détaillé de ce morceau. Le sens général est assez clair. Il le serait plus encore si l'on supposait que, dans un passage antécédent, Jésus a prié ses apôtres de répandre sa doctrine dans le monde. $es apôtres s'excusent, et objectent que le monde, étant sous le pouvoir de Satan, n'est pas disposé à la recevoir. Il faudrait d'abord que Jésus manifestât sa justice. En d'autres termes. le jugement, la manifestation solennelle du pouvoir de Dieu doit précéder son règne. C'est bien l'idée qu'on avait alors des rapports entre le jugement et le règne de Dieu. La réponse de Jésus oppose à cette manifestation de la justice vindicative une autre manifestation, celle de la justice glorieuse dans le ciel. La perspective du règne de Dieu est donc transportée dans le ciel. avec la gloire spirituelle et incorruptible. Cependant dès à présent le règne de Satan est brisé sur la terre, et les pécheurs peuvent, grâce à sa mort, parvenir à la vérité. Le monde de la terre demeure donc dans son état, et il faut même s'attendre à de nouveaux malheurs temporels; mais il suffit aux apôtres de savoir que les hommes sont désormais en état de recevoir la vérité. Allez donc, etc. On voit que le fragment se soude assez bien au v. 15: mais il n'a aucun lien avec le v. 14, C'est vainement que Gregory ἃ essayé d'établir un contexte. Les Apôtres voudraient dire : Si nous n'avons pas cru, c'est que nous sommes les fils de notre temps, d'un temps qui est dominé par Satan. Ce serait de leur part une étrange excuse, et ils ne pourraient pas dire à Jésus qui se révèle à eux : montre donc dès maintenant ta justice. Évidemment ils parlent de la situation du monde en dehors d'eux. et c'est aussi de ce monde que parle Jésus. Ce fait bien établi prouve que l'addition Freer ne peut absolument pas étre regardée comme faisant partie de la finale. Il prouve même qu'elle n’a pas été composée pour être insérée dans la finale. C'est un morceau, emprunté quelque part, qui a été inséré dans cet endroit au moyen de deux petites sutures, ἀπελογοῦντο au début, et ἀλλά à la fin. D'ailleurs le morceau ne fait pas mauvaise impression; on peut le croire antérieur à l'évangile de 8. Jean qui ἃ consacré l’idée du jugement déjà rendu (Jo. xvi, 11). Il est possible que nous ayons là l'écho affaibli de paroles authentiques, prononcées par Jésus. Quant à prétendre, comme Zahn, que c'est un logion emprunté aux diégèses d’Aristion (1), c'est se lancer sans boussole dans les hypothèses. (1) Je note, à la correction des épreuves, que M. Hugo Koch est entré dans la même voie que M. Zahn : Der erweiterte Markusschluss und die Kleinasiatischen Presbyter (Bibl. Zeitschrift, 1908, p. 266-278). M. Koch pense que le logion Freer n'est pas seulement lacuneux au début; à la fin Jésus devait annoncer que les choses terribles étaient le jugement. Il suppose que cette finale, comme la canonique, est sortie du milieu des presbytres d'Éphèse. Dans ce cas comment s. Irénée ne cite-t-il pas la finale Freer? (1) Brassac, Manuel biblique, 111, 13° éd., p. 82 : « Quoi qu'il en soit, l’authenlicité du passage n’est pas nécessairement liée à son inspiration. » (2) Pour l'authenticité dans le sens le plus complet BurGoN, The last twelve verses of the Gospel according to S. Marc, 1871. (1) C'est d’ailleurs tout ce qui a été conservé de Marc dans ce ms. (2) D’après ZAHN, Einleitung, 11, p. 238. (1) GREGORY, Texthritik, n° 101, Ὁ. 590, du vis. (2) Je ne vois aucune lumière sur ce point dans le Catalogue de Gregory. D'après Westcoil el Hort ces mss. éthiopiens ont les deux finales, la courte la première. D'ailleurs la chose est sans importance, puisque la version éthiopienne ne peul guère dater que du γο siècle. (8) vrir* ou 1x° siècle, 044 dans la nouvelle numérotation de Gregory. (ὦ) Le τέλος après le v. 8 marque, d’après Gregory, la fin d'une leçon, non la fin de l’évangile. οἷ TT Swete L, “12 et ἢ, d’après la nouvelle numérotation de Gregory 019, (6) Cod. 0112 du νι s., au Sinaï. (2) Dans Horner, A, de 1174 et E, de 1208. (8) Le raisonnement de Zahn (Geschichte.… II, 926 s.) prouve bien que la feuille qui fait allusion à ce verset n’est pas un texte évangélique, mais l'allusion au v. 20 en sahidique n’en subsiste pas moins, et le plus simple est de penser que l'auteur cite une version. (1) Maiore probabililate textus ille ignotus erat Tertulliano et Cypriano (KnAB.. Com., p. 450). (2) C'est du moins la leçon d’Eusèbe. (1) P. G. XXII, 937 : τούτον διττὴ ἂν εἴη ἡ λύσις" ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ xepéhatov αὐτό, τὴν τοῦτο φάσχουσαν περικοπὴν ἀθετῶν εἴποι ἂν μὴ ἐν ἅπασιν αὐτὴν φέρεσθαι τοῖς ἀντιγράφοις τοῦ χατὰ Μάρχον εὐαγγελίου. τὰ γοῦν ἀχριδῆ τῶν ἀντιγράφων τὸ τέλος περιγράρει τῆς χατὰ τὸν Μάρκον ἱστορίας ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ ὀφθέντος νεανίσχου ταῖς γυναιξὶ... οἷς ἐπιλέγει « xai ἀχούσασαι ἔφυγον καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἴπον᾽ ἐφοδοῦντο γάρ ». ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ σχεδὸν ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ἀντιγράφοις τοῦ κατὰ Μάρχον εὐαγγελίου περιγέγραπται τὸ τέλος. τὰ δὲ ἑξῆς σπανίως ἔν τισιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ἐν πᾶσι φερόμενα περιττὰ ἂν εἴη; καὶ μάλιστα εἴπερ ἔχοιεν ἀντιλογίαν τῇ τῶν λοιπῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν μαρτυρίᾳ. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἴποι ἄν τις παραιτούμενος χαὶ πάντη ἀναιρῶν περιττὸν ἐρώτημα. ἄλλος δέ τις οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν τολμῶν ἀθετεῖν τῶν ὁπωσοῦν ἐν τῇ τῶν εὐαγγελίων γραφῇ φερομένων, διπλὴν εἶναί φησι τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν κ. 7. À. (2) Grecony, Textkrilik, p. 869 ss. (3) Ep. 120, 3; P. L. XXII, 987. (1) Le scholion κατὰ Μάρχον μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν οὐ λέγεται ὦφθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς est attribué à Eusèbe lui-même par Zahn, Geschichte.., p. 915. (2) Cod. Harlei. 5647 cité par CRAMER, Catena, p. 499. (3) ΒΌΚΚΙΤΥ, Evangelion Da-Mepharreshe, 1, 24h: II, 208. (4) De Trinit. 11, 13; P. G. XXXIX, 688. (5) Haer. zxui, 6; P. G. XLI, 1057. (6) P. G. LXI, 3%. (7) P. G. I, 948, 1061. (8) ZANN, Geschichte..…., 995. (9) Loc. laud., Ὁ. 227-280. (1) Personne ne s’arrétera à la conjecture de Knabenbauer : les Alexandrins célébraient la résurreclion à minuit; ils auraient cessé de lire la finale de Marc qui paraissait contraire, etc. Mais l'omission va de l'Afrique à la Syrie! et elle est si (2) Les Évangiles synoptiques, II, 788. (2) J'ajoute, à la correction des épreuves, que cette solution ἃ été soutenue avec unc grande fermelé par dom John Chapman : Aristion, author of the epistle to the Iebrews (Revue bénédictine, janvier 1905, p. 50-64) : « À careful examination of (he passage ilself shows that it is not written by the author of {he rest of the Gospel, and that it is not the original ending (p. 50)... I believe the last twelve verses of 5. Mark’s Gospel not to be by 5. Mark, but by Aristion, the disciple of tbe Lord. It seems to me, further, that it is clear that {he Church receives them as inspired » (p. 51). Loin de conclure de la ressemblance de la finale de Marc avec l'épitre aux Hébreux que cette finale est authentique, dom Chapman conclut que les deux morceaux ont pour auteur Aristion. (1) Ado. Pelag. τι, 15; P. L. XXIII, c. 550. (2) D'après un Ms. du Vatican, au lieu de subslantia. (9) lire qui au lieu de quae (mss.). (4) Cf. RB. 1908, 450 ss. (5) Das Freer-Logion, Leipzig, 1908. (6) MS. ἀπελογουντε. (1) Ms. ακαθαρτα. (2) Ms. om. και. (3) Ms. Give. (4) Ms. ὑπερ wv ἐγὼ ἀμαρτησάντων,
16:1
If Mary the mother of James the less (Mark 15:40; 16:1) was the "wife" of Clopas or Κλωσᾶς (John 19:25), A. seems to be identified with Clopas (v.), whether he had a single name with a double Semitic and Greek form (like Jesus-Jason, Simeon-Simon) …
… In this case James the son of Alphaeus would represent the tradition of Mary, his mother (Mk. 15:40; 16:1; Mt. 27:56; Lk. 24:10), as a witness of the Resurrection of Christ. …
… In the New Testament it is used to heal the sick, in Extreme Unction, mixed with aromas to honor guests (Lk. 7, 46; Jn. 11, 2), in burial (ibid. 19, 40; Mk. 16, 1), etc. Holy oil, distinct from oil for lamps (can. 1271; v. LAMP) and from that blessed for the use of the faithful (Rituale, tit. 8, ch. 19), is oil blessed with a constitutive …
… Mk. 16:9). She was present on Calvary (Mt. 27:56-61; Mk. 15:40-47; Jn. 19:25); she witnessed the burial of Jesus (Mt. 27:61; Mk. 15:47); on the morning of the Resurrection she went to the tomb and was favored with an appearance of Jesus (Mt. 28:1-9; Mk. 16:1-9; Lk. 24:10; Jn. 20:11-18).
… death of the Lord and witnesses the burial (Matt. 27:56-61; Mark 15:40-47). On the morning after the sabbath she goes to the tomb to anoint the Lord, and on her return she shares with the other pious women the favor of seeing the Risen One (Matt. 28:1-9; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). It is difficult to define the exact degree of kinship of M. to the Madonna; John 19:25, "sister," among the Hebrews has a broader meaning. …
… She was among the first to receive the message of the Resurrection (Mt. 27:55 f.; Mk. 15:40 f.; 16:1).
16:5
… (annunciation to Mary, apparitions to Joseph, apparition to the shepherds, flight into Egypt and return to Galilee), at the beginning of the public ministry (Mt. 4, 11), in the passion (Mt. 26, 53; Lk. 22, 43), in his triumph of the resurrection and ascension (Mk. 16, 5; Lk. 24, 23; Jn. 20, 12; Acts 1, 10), in the future judgment (Mt. 13, 39, 41, 49; 16, 27; 24, 31; 25, 31; Mk. 8, 38), in the definitive triumph of heavenly glory (Rev. 1, 11; 8, 2 …
16:6
… The form N. (Ναζαρηνός) is read in Mk. 1:24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6; Lk. 4:34; 24:19; the form Nazorean (Ναζωραῖος) in Mt. 2:23 (Vulg. …
16:7
Primacy of Saint Peter and of the Roman Pontiff
… Mary Magdalene first reported the empty tomb to him (Jn. 20:2; cf. Mk. 16:7: "tell his disciples and Peter"), and on entering it John gave him precedence (Jn. 20:6; cf. Lk. 24:22). Later, Peter's decision to go fishing drew six other disciples (Jn. 21:3). …
16:9
… Jeremiah (II Macc. 15, 11-16); to the apostles on Tabor appeared Moses (Mt. 17, 3); after the resurrection of Jesus, many of the dead came out of their tombs and appeared to many persons in Jerusalem (Mt. 27, 53); the risen Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16, 9), then to St. Peter (Lk. 24, 33), to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24, 15), to the apostles gathered in the upper room (Mk. 16, 14; Mt. 28, 17; Jn. 20, 19), to Saul …
… Against this conjecture cf. B. H. Streeter, The Four Gospels, London 1936, p. 344 ff. Th. Zahn attributes to A., besides Mc. 16, 14-16, the pericope of the adulteress in Io. 8, 1-11, while J. Chapman, basing himself on analogies with Mc. 16, 9-20, makes A. the author also of the epistle to the Hebrews.
… Testament the parts of Esther and Daniel that are not found in the Hebrew text; but he is not obliged to affirm that they belong literarily to the book in which they are today incorporated, and, in fact, the critical edition of Merk suggests that for Mk. 16:9-20 and Jn. 7:53-8:11 this is probably not the case.
… He appeared to the Magdalene who was weeping near the tomb found empty (Mk. 16, 9; Jn. 20, 11-18), to the pious women (Mt. 28, 9-10), to Peter (Lk. 24, 34), to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (ibid. 24, 13-35),
… arguments from tradition are indicated there that compel us to affirm with certainty that M., disciple and interpreter of Peter, is the author of the Gospel attributed to him (ad I); it is declared that the reasons adduced against the genuineness of Mk. 16:9-20 do not give the right to exclude its canonicity or inspiration and do not prove that M. is not its author (ad II). That of M. is the second Gospel in chronological order (ad V); its …
… From her the Savior had cast out seven demons (ibid.; Mk. 16:9). She was present on Calvary (Mt. 27:56-61; Mk. 15:40-47; Jn. 19:25); she witnessed the burial of Jesus (Mt. 27:61; Mk. 15:47); on the morning of the Resurrection she went to the tomb …
16:14
Apostles (Gr. Ἀπόστολος "Sent One", from ἀποστέλλω)
… The fixed number also emerges from Acts 1:15 ff., where the election of Matthias in place of Judas is narrated, and thus "the eleven" (Mt. 28:16; Mk. 16:14; Lk. 24:9, 33; Acts 1:26) become "the twelve" again. …
… tombs and appeared to many persons in Jerusalem (Mt. 27, 53); the risen Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16, 9), then to St. Peter (Lk. 24, 33), to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24, 15), to the apostles gathered in the upper room (Mk. 16, 14; Mt. 28, 17; Jn. 20, 19), to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9, 3-7), etc.
… Against this conjecture cf. B. H. Streeter, The Four Gospels, London 1936, p. 344 ff. Th. Zahn attributes to A., besides Mc. 16, 14-16, the pericope of the adulteress in Io. 8, 1-11, while J. Chapman, basing himself on analogies with Mc. 16, 9-20, makes A. the author also of the epistle to the Hebrews.
The essential elements of the Book of Hours are: 1) The calendar, often enriched by the copyist's fancy; 2) the fragments of the four Gospels (Jn. 1, 1-14; Lk. 1, 26-38; Mt. 2, 1-12; Mk. 16, 14-20); 3) the prayers to the Virgin Obsecro te and O Intemerata, found in almost
… They see him eating with them (Lk. 24, 41-43) and preparing food for them (Jn. 21, 9-14; cf. the impression made on the Apostles, in Acts 10, 42), they hear him often whether he asks for their love (Jn. 21, 15-17), or pities or reproves their weaknesses (ibid. 20, 27; Lk. 24, 13-31; Mk. 16, 14), or corrects their ideas about the character of his Kingdom (Acts 1, 7) etc. While they observe the new life of J., entirely similar to the previous life, the Apostles receive from …
… coherent testimony of a most truthful witness, incapable of lying, hence most worthy of belief, even if this witness is necessarily a single individual, because he alone has seen something extraordinary, and even if it is a matter of a 14-year-old girl (cf. Mk. 16:14).
… W testifies to the diffusion of the Western text (D) in Egypt and confirms the opinion that the readings considered proper to the Old Latin versions come from an earlier Greek text, and not from corruption or paraphrase of it. Characteristic of W is the long ending after Mark 16, 14, called "the Freer logion," in a fuller form than in St. Jerome (Adv. pelag., II, 15; PL 23, 576). It is reproduced in the apparatus of the critical editions of the New Testament. …
16:15
… Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mk. 16:15-16). According to these texts, Jesus therefore established in principle the necessity of B. and ordained its use in his Church.
Calvin (Calvinus, Cauvin, Chauvin, Calvin Jean)
… And indeed the Apostles went preaching everywhere with the assistance of the Lord, who confirmed their word with miracles... (Mk 16:15-20). So the first announcement of the Gospel was not made with writings, but with the word. …
The time of the universal divine judgment is known only to God (Mt. 24, 36; Mt. 13, 32; Acts 1. 7), although Scripture indicates certain foreboding signs: the preaching and acceptance of the Gospel throughout the whole world (Mt. 24, 3 and 14; Mk. 16, 15-16; Lk. 21, 24; Rom. 9, 25), the appearance of the Antichrist (v.), the conversion of Israel (Hos. 3, 4-5; Rom. 11, 25-27; II Cor. 3, 14-17), the great apostasy (II Thess. 2, 3; Mt. …
… doctrines but properly to divine ones (I Thess. 2, 14). And, since it is impossible for this Church to teach a doctrine different from that which it has received the order and charism to teach by mandate and indefectible divine assistance (Mt. 28, 18-20; Mk. 16, 15-16; Jn. 14, 16 ff.; 15, 26; 17, 18-20; I Cor. 1, 17; II Cor. 5, 20; I Tim. 3, 14 ff.), every man must fully adhere to it (Mk. 16, 16; Rom. 1, 5; II Cor. 10, 4; I Jn. 2, …
… between them, not of nature (E. B. Allo, op. cit., p. cxiv f.). The Kingdom of God is already inaugurated (Matt. 11:12-15; 12:28; Luke 16:16; 17:20 f.; 1 Cor. 15:25); it must grow (Matt. 13:31 f.), throughout the whole world (Mark 3:13-19; 6:7-13; 13:9 f.; 16:15 f., 20; Acts 1:8; etc.), pass to the gentiles (Matt. 8:10 ff.; 21:33-46; 22:2-10 etc.); it is identified with the Church, with Peter at its head (Matt. 16:13-20; John 21:15 ff.; 1 Cor. …
… Lagrange); but Jesus eliminated the ancient barrier (Eph. 2:14) and called all ethnics to his kingdom (cf. Mt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:47;
2) The texts of the solemn investiture of Christ's powers upon the Apostles (Mt. 28:18-20 and Mk. 16:15-16), beyond the general mission to teach with the task of "making disciples," promise an efficacious assistance, whose limits of time are the same as the duration of the present world. …
… promises already made to them and receive from him the definitive mission: the primacy conferred on Peter (Jn. 21, 15-18), to all the mission of preaching the Gospel, with the promise of continual assistance and of the seal of miracles (Mt. 28, 18-20; Mk. 16, 15-18) and with the sanction of reward or punishment for those who believe or do not.
I. OBJECT OF SACRED ORATORY. - It is indicated by Christ himself: "Praedicate Evangelium..." (Mk. 16:15): "Docentes eos servare omnia quaecumque man-
Spiritual Motherhood of Mary Most Holy
… him. This potential inclusion of humanity and of its individual members becomes actual and personal when individual men are incorporated into the mystical Christ, through faith and Baptism, which are indispensable for the attainment of eternal life (cf. Mk. 16:15-16; Jn. 3:5-6), since they make of Christ and of us an inseparable supernatural reality, a single mystical person. …
… Toward unbelievers, as long as they have not freely accepted the Christian faith, it has no other power than that communicated to it by Christ to announce the revealed truth to all nations (cf. can. 87, Mt. 28, 19; Mk. 16, 15-16; Lk. 24, 47). In the exercise of this ministry two principles sustain its action. …
16:16
… Sending the Apostles into the world, Jesus says: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mk. 16:16).
… has received the order and charism to teach by mandate and indefectible divine assistance (Mt. 28, 18-20; Mk. 16, 15-16; Jn. 14, 16 ff.; 15, 26; 17, 18-20; I Cor. 1, 17; II Cor. 5, 20; I Tim. 3, 14 ff.), every man must fully adhere to it (Mk. 16, 16; Rom. 1, 5; II Cor. 10, 4; I Jn. 2, 24), nor ever give ear to contrary doctrines (Rom. 6, 16; Gal. 1, 8; II Jn. 1, 10) under penalty of shipwreck in the faith (I Tim. …
… graver sin than sacrilege, homicide, adultery, theft, etc. In the teaching of Christ faith figures as the fundamental obligation that men must fulfill in order to be saved: «Whoever believes will be saved, whoever does not believe will be condemned» (Mk 16:16); faith is equivalent, according to Jesus Christ, to the resurrection from the spiritual death of sin: «Whoever believes in me, even if he is dead, returns to life, and whoever believes …
3) Jesus Christ threatens eternal damnation to whoever will not believe the apostolic preaching (Mk. 16:16); an absurd threat if the magisterium of the Church could be conceived as being in disharmony with the doctrine of the Master.
… irremediably to hell for lack of that irreplaceable requirement which is theological faith, which in their condition seems impossible; or whether and how they too can obtain that salvation to which one who has believed and been baptized can effectively aspire (Mk. 16:16).
16:17
in order to know or obtain something from him, because with him no friendship can be established and toward him there can be no submission (cf. I Cor. 10:20); it is lawful, however, to adjure him imperatively, so that, in the name of God, he cause no harm, whether spiritual or temporal (cf. Mk. 16:17; Lk. 9:1; 10:19; Acts 19:13). This adjuration is properly called exorcism (v.). …
… 24; Lk. 8, 30; 11, 14-26). Jesus gives as a characteristic of the Kingdom of God founded by him the expulsion of Satan and his demons (Mt. 12, 28; Lk. 10, 17; 11, 20) and transmits this exorcistic charism to his Apostles and to his Church (Mt. 10, 1; Mk. 16, 17). The Apostles in turn cast out "unclean spirits" (Acts 5, 16; 19, 12-16), and the Church gloried in this victorious power over Satan: "Quid isto opere manifestius? …
16:18
… Einführung in das Neue Testament, pl. 19) attributes the conclusion of the Gospel of Mark (16, 9-20) to the presbyter Ariston (the name as in Constit. apostol., VII, 46, 8), perhaps on the basis of the mention of the miracle of the poisonous drink (Mc. 16, 18), which, as a miracle of Joseph Barsabbas "the Just," was recounted by Papias and which, by a manuscript of Rufinus's Historia eccl., is attributed to A. (cf. F. X. Funk, Patres …
… The very Gospel texts (e.g., Mk. 16:18 ff.; 28:19 ff.; Jn. 14:16 ff., 25 ff.; 15:26), which explicitly proclaim the magisterium of the Church, which infallibly teaches the revealed truths, implicitly claim for it the right …
16:20
… origin of what he asserts: prophecies and miracles (cf. Jn. 15:22-24). When God speaks, and wishes his R. to reach all men, he well knows how to accompany it with "signs," such as to guarantee its divine origin to every man disposed to receive it (cf. Mk. 16:20).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.