Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ
Holy Innocents Slain by HerodOur Venerable Father Marcellus, Abbot of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones (485)
Divine Liturgy
Hebrews 8:7–13
§ 319
Brethren, if the first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. . For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws in their mind and write them in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord:’ for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and thenlawless deeds will I remember no more.” For in that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first one obsolete. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away.
Mark 8.11-21
§ 33
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
καὶ ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ λέγει· τί ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ; ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον.
И҆ воздохнꙋ́въ дх҃омъ свои́мъ, гл҃а: что̀ ро́дъ се́й зна́менїѧ и҆́щетъ; а҆ми́нь гл҃ю ва́мъ, а҆́ще да́стсѧ ро́дꙋ семꙋ̀ зна́менїе.
And sighing deeply in spirit, he said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, if a sign will be given to this generation." He, who above thanked the crowd believing for heavenly benefit to be restored, now sighed and was saddened over the foolish petition of the Pharisees who did not believe and tempted, because truly bearing the nature of man, with real feelings of human nature, just as he rejoices over the salvation of men, so too he grieves and sighs over their errors. Hence also elsewhere, when many were led to salvation through the preaching of the apostles, it is written about him: "In that very hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said: 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to little children'" (Luke 10). And when he was about to rebuke Judas' deed, he was troubled in spirit, as John writes, and he testified, and said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray me" (John 13). But what he says, "If a sign will be given to this generation," means it will not be given, according to that in the Psalm: "Once I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David" (Psalm 89), that is, I will not lie to David. Hence Saint Augustine, speaking of the harmony of the evangelists, bears witness that it is thus written in Mark: "And no sign will be given to it." Therefore, no sign will be given to that generation, that is, to those tempting the Lord and rejecting his words. Certainly a sign such as the tempters were seeking, this is to say, from heaven. Nevertheless, many heavenly signs he gave them on earth. Besides, to the generation seeking the gift, requiring the face of the God of Jacob, he showed a sign from heaven, when, with the apostles watching, he ascended into heaven, when, with the Spirit sent from above, he filled the primitive Church, when at the imposition of the hands of the apostles in Samaria, Caesarea, Ephesus, and many other cities and places, he ministered the grace of the Holy Spirit to the believers from heaven.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) When, as related above, He was about to refresh the believing multitude, He gave thanks, so now, on account of the foolish petition of the Pharisees, He groans; because, bearing about with Him the feelings of human nature, as He rejoices over the salvation of men, so He grieves over their errors. Wherefore it goes on, And he groaned in spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say unto you, If a sign shall be given to this generation. That is, no sign shall be given; as it is written in the Psalms, (Ps. 89:36) I have sworn once by my holiness, if I shall fail David, that is, I will not fail David.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas(ubi sup.) For a sign from heaven was not to be given to a generation of men, who tempted the Lord; but to a generation of men seeking the Lord, He shows a sign from heaven, when in the sight of the Apostles He ascended into heaven. It goes on, And he left them, and entering into a ship again, he departed to the other side.
Catena Aurea by AquinasBut for what sign from heaven were they asking? Maybe that he should hold back the sun, or curb the moon, or bring down thunderbolts, or change the direction of the wind, or something like that?… In Pharaoh's time there was an enemy from whom deliverance was needed. But for one who comes among friends, there should be no need of such signs.
GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.3Now the reason why the Lord did not listen to them was, that the time of signs from heaven had not arrived, that is, the time of the second Advent, when the powers of the heaven shall be shaken, and the moon shall not give her light. But in the time of the first Advent, all things are full of mercy, and such things do not take place.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
καὶ ἀφεὶς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἀπῆλθε πάλιν.
И҆ ѡ҆ста́вль и҆̀хъ, влѣ́зъ па́ки въ кора́бль, (и҆) и҆́де на ѡ҆́нъ по́лъ.
And dismissing them, he ascended the boat again and went across the strait. And they forgot to take bread, and they had nothing with them on the boat except one loaf. Someone may ask and say how they did not have bread, who, immediately after filling seven baskets, ascended the boat, and came to the borders of Magedan, and there heard the sailors that they should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. But Scripture testifies that they forgot to take them with them. However, that they forgot to take provisions with them before they were about to sail across the strait indicates how little they cared for the flesh in other respects, for whom the very necessity of replenishing the body, which naturally exists in all mortals, had escaped their minds due to their attention to following the Lord. But the one loaf they had with them on the boat mystically signifies the bread of life itself, namely the Lord and Savior. Because they were always inwardly refreshed in heart by His love, they cared less for the earthly bread with which the body is usually fed.
On the Gospel of MarkNo sign more impressed the crowds than the miracles of the loaves. Not only did they want to follow him, but also seemed ready to make him a king. In order to avoid all suspicion of usurping civil authority, he made a speedy exit after this wonderful work. He did not even leave on foot, lest they chase after him, but took off by boat.
GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.2The Lord leaves the Pharisees as incorrigible people. For one should linger where there is hope of correction, but where the evil is incorrigible, one must flee from there.
Commentary on MarkThe Lord indeed quits the Pharisees, as men uncorrected; for where there is a hope of correction, there it is right to remain; but where the evil is incorrigible, we should go away.
Catena Aurea by AquinasNow the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο λαβεῖν ἄρτους, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἕνα ἄρτον οὐκ εἶχον μεθ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ.
И҆ забы́ша ᲂу҆чн҃цы̀ є҆гѡ̀ взѧ́ти хлѣ́бы и҆ ра́звѣ є҆ди́нагѡ хлѣ́ба не и҆мѧ́хꙋ съ собо́ю въ кораблѝ.
(ubi sup.) Some may ask, how they had no bread, when they had filled seven baskets just before they embarked in the ship. But Scripture relates that they had forgotten to take them with them, which is a proof how little care they had for the flesh in other things, since in their eagerness to follow the Lord, even the necessity of refreshing their bodies had escaped from their mind.
Catena Aurea by AquinasThe disciples forgot to take bread by a special dispensation of God, so that after Christ's stern rebuke they would become wiser and come to know the power of Christ.
Commentary on MarkNow they had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. By a special providence also the disciples forgot to take bread, that they might be blamed by Christ, and thus become better, and arrive at a knowledge of Christ's power.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
καὶ διεστέλλετο αὐτοῖς λέγων· ὁρᾶτε, βλέπετε ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ τῆς ζύμης Ἡρῴδου.
И҆ преща́ше и҆̀мъ, гл҃ѧ: зри́те, блюди́тесѧ ѿ ква́са фарїсе́йска и҆ ѿ ква́са и҆́рѡдова.
And he was instructing them, saying: See and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Pharisees is to place the decrees of divine law below human traditions, or certainly to preach the law in words while opposing it in deeds. Their leaven is to test the Lord, neither believing in His teachings nor in His works, but mocking and asking for other things in which they could believe. The leaven of Herod is adultery, homicide, rashness in swearing, false pretenses of religion, and what is the head and origin of all crimes, hatred and persecution against Christ and His precursor and first proclaimer of the heavenly kingdom. From which leaven of either, even the Apostle, not prohibiting, says: Therefore let us celebrate not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (I Cor. V).
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) Or, the leaven of the Pharisees is making the decrees of the divine law inferior to the traditions of men, preaching the law in word, attacking it in deed, tempting the Lord, and disbelieving His doctrine and His works; but the leaven of Herod is adultery, murder, rash swearing, a pretence of religion, hatred to Christ and His forerunner.
Catena Aurea by AquinasIt was not to learn faith that they [the Pharisees] sought him, but to seize him.
GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.3And again in another place our Lord taught His disciples to beware of the cunning of the Pharisees and Sadducees, saying, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and of the leaven of Herod;" and thou mayest know that He here calleth cunning and wickedness by the name of leaven. Our Lord did not bid them beware of the doctrine of Moses which the Pharisees taught, but of their traditions which they invented in their cunning that they might be material for the merchandise of iniquity; and of their feigning to be righteous before the children of men; and of their being careful of the honour of God while in their secret works they belittled Him; and of their making long their prayers in order to devour widow's houses; and of their disfiguring their countenances that they might appear to be men who fasted; and of their washing the outside of the cup and platter—that is to say, they beautified and made fair the parts of them which were manifest—being filled within with iniquity and all impurity; and of their adorning their persons outside with a reverent and venerable demeanour to be observed with the eye, being secretly filled with rapine, and deceit, and wantonness, and the desire for all objects of lust. Of all this doctrine then of the Pharisees our Lord commanded His disciples to beware. All these things which arise from deceit, and which are wrought under a false disguise are born of cunning.
13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Matthew says, of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees; Luke, however, of the Pharisees only. All three, therefore, name the Pharisees, as being the most important of them, but Matthew and Mark have each mentioned one of the secondary sects; and fitly has Mark added of Herod, as a supplement to Matthew's narrative, in which they were left out. But in saying this, He by degrees brings the disciples to understanding and faith.
Catena Aurea by AquinasFor when the Lord said that they should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, that is, the teaching of the Pharisees, they thought that the Lord was reminding them about the leaven of bread. And so He rightly reproaches them as not understanding the power of Christ, by which the Lord can create bread even out of nothing. He calls the teaching of the Pharisees and the Herodians leaven for the reason that it was bitter and filled with ancient malice. And everyone who has grown old in evil and cannot speak anything spiritual to sweeten the throat of the listener has within himself the leaven of ancient malice, that is, a teaching that is poisonous and leads those who accept it only to regret. But who were the Herodians? They were certain newly appeared teachers who said that Herod was the Christ and that one must believe in him.
Commentary on MarkHe means by leaven their hurtful and corrupt doctrine, full of the old malice, for the Herodians were the teachers, who said that Herod was the Christ.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους λέγοντες ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχομεν.
И҆ помышлѧ́хꙋ, дрꙋ́гъ ко дрꙋ́гꙋ глаго́люще, ꙗ҆́кѡ хлѣ́бы не и҆́мамы.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying: We have no bread. Which knowing, Jesus said to them: Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears, do you not hear, nor remember when I broke the five loaves among five thousand, and how many baskets full of fragments you took up? etc. Because of the command which the Savior had given, saying: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, he teaches them what the five loaves and the seven, or the small fish, mean, and the five thousand men and the four thousand who were fed in the wilderness. Though the greatness of the signs is clear, yet something else is shown by spiritual understanding. For if the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and the leaven of Herod signify not physical bread but perverse traditions and heretical doctrines, why should not the food with which the people of God were fed signify true and complete doctrine? This kind of leaven, which must be avoided by all means, Marcion and Valentinus and all heretics have had. Leaven has this power, that if it be mixed with flour, what seemed small grows larger and attracts the whole mixture to its taste. Likewise, heretical doctrine, if it casts even a small spark into your heart, in a short time will grow into a huge flame and draw the whole possession of a man to itself. This is what the Apostle also speaks of: A little leaven corrupts the whole mass (Gal. V).
On the Gospel of MarkBut the disciples themselves thought that the Lord spoke of the leaven of bread. Wherefore it goes on, And they reasoned amongst themselves, saying, it is because we have no bread; and this they said, as not understanding the power of Christ, who could make bread out of nothing; wherefore the Lord reproves them; for there follows, And when Jesus knew it, he said unto them, Why reason ye because ye have no bread?
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
καὶ γνοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί διαλογίζεσθε ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχετε; οὔπω νοεῖτε οὐδὲ συνίετε; ἔτι πεπωρωμένην ἔχετε τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν;
И҆ разꙋмѣ́въ і҆и҃съ, гл҃а и҆̀мъ: что̀ помышлѧ́ете, ꙗ҆́кѡ хлѣ́бы не и҆́мате; не ᲂу҆̀ ли чꙋ́вствꙋете, нижѐ разꙋмѣ́ете; є҆ще́ ли ѡ҆камене́но се́рдце ва́ше и҆́мате;
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες οὐ βλέπετε, καὶ ὦτα ἔχοντες οὐκ ἀκούετε; καὶ οὐ μνημονεύετε;
ѻ҆́чи и҆мꙋ́ще не ви́дите; и҆ ᲂу҆́шы и҆мꙋ́ще не слы́шите; и҆ не по́мните ли,
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
ὅτε τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους ἔκλασα εἰς τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους, καὶ πόσους κοφίνους κλασμάτων πλήρεις ἤρατε; λέγουσιν αὐτῶ· δώδεκα.
є҆гда̀ пѧ́ть хлѣ́бы преломи́хъ въ пѧ́ть ты́сѧщъ, коли́кѡ кѡ́шъ и҆спо́лнь ᲂу҆крꙋ̑хъ прїѧ́сте; Глаго́лаша є҆мꙋ̀: двана́десѧть.
(ubi sup.) Taking occasion then from the precept, which He had commanded, saying, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod, our Saviour teaches them what was the meaning of the five and the seven loaves, concerning which He adds, And do ye not remember, when I brake the five loaves amongst five thousand, and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up? For if the leaven mentioned above means perverse traditions, of course the food, with which the people of God was nourished, means the true doctrine.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
ὅτε δὲ τοὺς ἑπτὰ εἰς τοὺς τετρακισχιλίους, πόσων σπυρίδων πληρώματα κλασμάτων ἤρατε; οἱ δὲ εἶπον· ἑπτά.
Є҆гда́ же се́дмь въ четы́ре ты́сѧщы, коли́кѡ ко́шницъ и҆сполнє́нїѧ ᲂу҆крꙋ̑хъ взѧ́сте; Ѻ҆ни́ же рѣ́ша: се́дмь.
And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· οὔπω συνίετε;
И҆ гл҃а и҆̀мъ: ка́кѡ не разꙋмѣ́ете;
Can you hear the intense displeasure in his voice? For nowhere else does he appear to have rebuked them so strongly. Why now? In order to cast out their prejudices about clean foods. … For not everywhere is permissiveness a good thing. As he earlier had allowed them to speak freely, now he reproves them.… He even reminds them of the specific numbers of loaves and of persons fed, both to bring them to recall the past, and to make them more attentive to the future.
GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.4
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
Καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ ἤρξαντο συζητεῖν αὐτῷ, ζητοῦντες παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ σημεῖον ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, πειράζοντες αὐτόν.
[Заⷱ҇ 33] И҆ и҆зыдо́ша фарїсе́є и҆ нача́ша стѧза́тисѧ съ ни́мъ, и҆́щꙋще ѿ негѡ̀ зна́менїѧ съ нб҃сѐ, и҆скꙋша́юще є҆го̀.
Let no one, however, be perplexed that the answer which Mark says was given to them, when they sought a sign from heaven, is not the same as that which Matthew relates, namely, that concerning Jonah. He says that the Lord's answer was, that no sign should be given to it; by which we must understand such an one as they asked for, that is, one from heaven; but he has omitted to say, what Matthew has related.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd the Pharisees went out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him. Thus they seek a sign, as if what they had seen were not signs. But what they seek is shown when it is said: Seeking from Him a sign from heaven. Either they desired fire to come down from above in the manner of Elijah, or like Samuel in the summer season, they wished for the thunder to roar, the lightning to flash, and rains to fall, as if they could not also slander those and say that they happened from hidden and various passions of the air. But you who slander what you see with your eyes, hold with your hands, feel with utility, what will you do about those things which come from heaven? Certainly, you will answer that magicians in Egypt also performed many signs from heaven. Or surely they seek a sign from heaven, so that He who fed many thousands of people with a few loaves would now, in imitation of Moses with manna sent from heaven and scattered everywhere, sustain the whole people for a long time. Which we read in the Gospel of John that after the eating of the loaves, the crowds sought from Him, saying: What sign then do you do so that we may see and believe you? What do you work? Our fathers ate manna in the desert (John 6), as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat (Ibid.).
On the Gospel of Mark(in Marc. 2, 33) The Pharisees, then, seek a sign from heaven, that He, Who had for the second time fed many thousands of men with a few loaves of bread, should now, after the example of Moses, refresh the whole nation in the last time with manna sent down from heaven, and dispersed amongst them all.
Catena Aurea by AquinasAnd the Pharisees demand a sign from heaven, for example, to stop the sun or the moon, to bring down lightning, to produce a change in the air. They thought that He was unable to perform a heavenly sign, having the power to produce by the power of Beelzebub only earthly signs. But Jesus does not heed them, for another time has been appointed for signs from heaven — I mean the time of the second coming, when the powers of heaven shall be shaken and the moon shall not give its light; but the time of the first coming has nothing of the sort, but everything is filled with meekness. And therefore "no sign shall be given to this generation" from heaven.
Commentary on MarkOr they seek for a sign from heaven, that is, they wish Him to make the sun and moon stand still, to bring down hail, and change the atmosphere; for they thought that He could not perform miracles from heaven, but could only in Beelzebub perform a sign on earth.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas