Thursday of the 32nd week after Pentecost
Xenophon, his wife Mary, and their sons Arcadius and John, of Constantinople
Ven. Xenophon and MarySt Ammonas of Egypt, disciple of St Anthony the Great (350)Our Holy Mother Paula of Rome (404)
Divine Liturgy
James 4:7–5:9
§ 56
Brethren, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you. Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing before the door!
Mark 11.27-33
§ 52
And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; ἢ τίς σοι ἔδωκε τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην ἵνα ταῦτα ποιῇς;
и҆ глаго́лаша є҆мꙋ̀: ко́ею ѡ҆́бластїю сїѧ̑ твори́ши; и҆ кто̀ тѝ ѡ҆́бласть сїю̀ дадѐ, да сїѧ̑ твори́ши;
Fearing a stoning, but fearing more an admission of the truth, they answered the truth with a lie, reminiscent of the Scripture: "injustice has lied within herself." For they said, "We know not." And because they had shut themselves up against him, by asserting that they did not know what they knew, the Lord did not open up to them because they did not knock. For it has been said, "Knock and it will be opened to you." But they not only had not knocked that it might be opened, but by their denial they barricaded the door itself against themselves. And the Lord said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."
TRACTATE ON JOHN 2.9And when he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders came to him and said to him: "By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?" In various ways they raise the same calumny as before, when they said: "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons." For when they say, "By what authority do you do these things?" they doubt the power of God, and want it to be understood that what he does is by the power of the devil. Also adding: "Who gave you this authority?" most openly they deny the Son of God, whom they think performs signs not by his own power, but by that of others.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) And indeed, when they say, By what authority doest thou these things, they doubt its being the power of God, and wish it to be understood that what He did was the devil's work. When they add also, Who gave thee this authority, they evidently deny that He is the Son of God, since they believe that He works miracles, not by His own but by another's power.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐπερωτήσω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ ἕνα λόγον, καὶ ἀποκρίθητέ μοι, καὶ ἐρῶ ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.
І҆и҃съ же ѿвѣща́въ речѐ и҆̀мъ: вопрошꙋ́ вы и҆ а҆́зъ словесѐ є҆ди́нагѡ, и҆ ѿвѣща́йте мѝ: и҆ рекꙋ̀ ва́мъ, ко́ею ѡ҆́бластїю сїѧ̑ творю̀:
But Jesus answering said: "I will also ask you one thing, and you answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me." The Lord could have refuted the calumny of the tempters with an open answer, but he prudently asks, so that they may be condemned either by their silence or by their own decision.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) The Lord might indeed have confuted the cavils of his tempters by a direct answer, but prudently puts them a question, that they might be condemned either by their silence or their speaking.
Catena Aurea by AquinasThe baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; ἀποκρίθητέ μοι.
кр҃ще́нїе і҆ѡа́нново съ нб҃се́ ли бѣ̀, и҆лѝ ѿ человѣ̑къ; ѿвѣща́йте мѝ.
The baptism announced by John formed the subject, even at that time, of a question proposed by the Lord himself to the legal experts. It concerned whether John's baptism was from heaven or from men. They were unable to give a consistent answer. They did not understand because they did not believe.
ON BAPTISM 10The baptism announced by John formed the subject, even at that time, of a question, proposed by the Lord Himself indeed to the Pharisees, whether that baptism were heavenly, or truly earthly: about which they were unable to give a consistent answer, inasmuch as they understood not, because they believed not.
On BaptismAnd they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
καὶ ἐλογίζοντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες· ἐὰν εἴπωμεν, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ· διατί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;
И҆ мы́слѧхꙋ въ себѣ̀, глаго́люще: а҆́ще рече́мъ, съ нб҃сѐ, рече́тъ: почто̀ ᲂу҆̀бо не вѣ́ровасте є҆мꙋ̀;
But they considered among themselves, saying: If we say, from heaven, he will say to us: Why then did you not believe him? For he whom you acknowledge to have had prophecy from heaven, testified about me, and you heard from him by what authority I do these things.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? As if He had said, He whom you confess to have had his prophecy from heaven bore testimony of Me, and ye have heard from him, by what authority I do these things.
Catena Aurea by AquinasBut if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
ἀλλὰ εἴπωμεν, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν λαόν· ἅπαντες γὰρ εἶχον τὸν Ἰωάννην ὅτι προφήτης ἦν.
но а҆́ще рече́мъ, ѿ человѣ̑къ: боѧ́хꙋсѧ люді́й: вси́ бо и҆мѣ́ѧхꙋ і҆ѡа́нна, ꙗ҆́кѡ вои́стиннꙋ прⷪ҇ро́къ бѣ̀.
If we say from men, we fear the people. For all held John to be a true prophet. Therefore, they saw that whichever of these they answered, they would fall into a trap, fearing stoning, but more fearing the confession of the truth.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) It goes on: But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people. They saw then that whatever they answered, they should fall into a snare; fearing to be stoned, they feared still more the confession of the truth. Wherefore it goes on: And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες λέγουσι τῷ Ἰησοῦ· οὐκ οἴδαμεν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.
И҆ ѿвѣща́вше глаго́лаша і҆и҃сови: не вѣ́мы. И҆ ѿвѣща́въ і҆и҃съ гл҃а и҆̀мъ: ни а҆́зъ гл҃ю ва́мъ, ко́ею ѡ҆́бластїю сїѧ̑ творю̀.
And answering, they say to Jesus: We do not know. And Jesus, responding, said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. I do not tell you what I know, because you do not want to admit what you know. Most justly rejected, they indeed went away confused. And it was fulfilled what in the psalm the Father God says through the prophet: I have prepared a lamp for my Christ, that is, John himself. I will clothe his enemies with shame (Psalm 131). It should be noted, moreover, that the knowledge of the truth is to be hidden from those who seek it for two main reasons. Namely, when he who asks is either less capable of understanding what he seeks, or is unworthy because of hatred or contempt of the truth itself, to whom it ought to be revealed what he seeks. For one of these reasons, the Lord said: I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. For the other reason, he commanded the disciples: Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) As if He had said, I will not tell you what I know, since ye will not confess what ye know. Further, we must observe that knowledge is hidden from those who seek it, principally for two reasons, namely, when he who seeks for it either has not sufficient capacity to understand what he seeks for, or when through contempt for the truth, or some other reason, he is unworthy of having that for which he seeks opened to him.
Catena Aurea by AquinasThey envied the Lamp, and were in the dark, wherefore it is said, I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed; his enemies will I clothe with shame. (Ps. 132:17, 18) There follows: And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
Καὶ ἔρχονται πάλιν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα· καὶ ἐν τῶ ἱερῷ περιπατοῦντος αὐτοῦ ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι
[Заⷱ҇ 52] И҆ прїидо́ша па́ки во і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мъ. И҆ въ це́ркви ходѧ́щꙋ є҆мꙋ̀, прїидо́ша къ немꙋ̀ а҆рхїере́є и҆ кни́жницы и҆ ста́рцы
Enraged that Christ had driven the money-changers out of the temple, they come to Him with the question: "By what authority do You do these things?" They were, as it were, saying to Him reproachfully: "Who are You to do this? Were You appointed as a teacher? Were You ordained as a high priest?" They said this trying to put Him in a difficult position, so as to trap Him. If He had said, "I do this by My own authority," they would have stoned Him as one opposed to God, and if He had said, "By the authority of God," then they could have drawn the people away from Him, since He claimed to be God. But the Lord poses a question to them about John, not without reason and not with any cunning. But since John had testified about Him, He asks the malicious Jews about John, so that if they acknowledged John as a messenger of God, they would be compelled to accept John's testimony about Christ as well. And since they could not give any answer, He, in order to humble them even more, says: "Neither will I tell you." He did not say, "I do not know what to answer you," but "Neither will I tell you," that is, since you act with malice, I do not deem you worthy of an answer.
Commentary on MarkThey were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandize, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him. Wherefore it is said: And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things? As if they had said, Who art thou that doest these things? Dost thou make thyself a doctor, and ordain thyself Chief Priest?
Further, they said this, thinking to bring Him to judgment, so that if He said, by mine own power, they might lay hold upon Him; but if He said, by the power of another, they might make the people leave Him, for they believed Him to be God. But the Lord asks them concerning John, not without a reason, nor in a sophistical way, but because John had borne witness of Him. Wherefore there follows: And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas