THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY St. Mark, did not start his gospel with the events of the Nativity, or by the genealogy of Jesus Christ, However since he was writing to the Romans, those of authority, he expounded the Lord Christ “the Son of God,” who has the real authority over the soul or the inner life, and the body or the outer life. He is the Son of God who floods us with the waters of His perfect love, not the love of authority or domination. 1- Introduction to the book 1. 2- Ministry of John the Baptist 2-8. 3- Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ 9-11. 4- His Temptation 12-13. 5- Preaching the new Kingdom 14-15. 6- Calling of the disciples 16-20. 7- His supreme acts of love. a- Casting out an unclean spirit 21-28. b- Healing Peter’s mother-in-law 29-34. c- Casting out demons 35-39. d- Cleansing a leper 40-45. 1- INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (1:1) The Evangelist begins his gospel by annunciating its theme. “The gospel of Jesus Christ,” that is the good news to the world, i.e. about the salvation presented by Jesus Christ. St. Mark was the only evangelist who entitled his book a “gospel,” referring to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is as though what he presents in this book is not merely a parade of past incidents, but rather good news for every soul that encounters Jesus as being the “Savior.” He is Christ, anointed by the Father, through His Holy Spirit, to consummate the act of redemption, and proclaim the practical love of the Holy Trinity, through the cross. He is the Son of God, the living One, who rose from the dead and who is present inside His Church to grant it His resurrection within it. He is the Son of God, who is the only One able, by His unique sacrifice, to raise us to His Father’s bosom and reconcile us as children of God. It is worth mentioning that this book starts with the sonship of the Lord Christ to the Father, and ends with the invitation of the Lord to His disciples to preach among the Gentiles and to baptize them. While He was speaking to them, He ascended to heaven to the bosom of the Father. In other words, the book opens with the proclamation of the sonship of the Lord to the Father, and ends by inviting us to adoption to the Father through faith in Him and the water of baptism, to ascend with the Lord to the bosom of His Father, and to enjoy His heaven. That is the whole purpose of the gospel and its good news: to be counted truly as children of God, through our union with the Father in His Only-Begotten Son. St. Hilary of Poitiers clarified the distinction between the sonship of the Lord and that of ours, saying, [The Evangelist proclaims that Christ is the Son of God, according to His fitting nature, and not just by the name. We are the children of God, yet not like Him; for He is Son by nature, and not by adoption. He is the Son in truth and not 6 just by name; by birth and not by creation1.] 2- THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Historically, it has been the custom for kings and emperors, to send someone to prepare their ways for them. Similarly, the Lord Jesus Christ aforetime proclaimed through His prophets about His forerunner, ‘John the Baptist,’ being the “angel of the Lord,” and “the voice crying in the wilderness.” The Evangelist says: “As it is written in the prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight” (1:2,3). In certain manuscripts, this verse is written as, “As it is written in the prophet Isaiah.” St. Mark quoted two prophesies concerning the Forerunner of the Lord: one of which according to the prophet ‘Malachi’ (3:1), and the other, is according to Isaiah (40:3). The two prophecies reveal the identity of the “Forerunner of the Lord,” who prepares His way: (1) ‘Malachi’ called him, “the messenger of the Lord.” The Church used to picture St. John the Baptist, with two wings like an angel. Here we should reject the Origenic view that he is a real angel, who adopted the human nature to minister for us2. He was called an angel because of his angelic life and his exalted dignity, as told by Fr. Theophlactius the Patriarch of Bulgaria (765-840 A.D.)3. He was probably called so because of the importance of his mission. The word “angel” in Greek and Latin means “messenger.” He was sent as a messenger before the Lord to prepare the way for Him through repentance. He also could have been so called because, in his first encounter with the Lord, he did not behold Him in flesh, but through faith. While he was still in his mother Elisabeth’s womb, he “leaped for joy,” as the Virgin Mary approached her pregnant cousin Elizabeth (Lk. 1:44). Tertullian said, [John, was not only called a messenger for Christ, but also ‘a lamp’ to illuminate the way before Him, according to the prophecy of David: “I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed” (Ps. 132:17) That is on account of the fact that, he not only prepared His ways in the wilderness, but he also referred to the “Lamb of God,” edifying the minds of humanity by proclaiming that he is ‘the Lamb’ who is to suffer, whom Moses used to talk about4.] (2) Isaiah called him “The voice of one crying in the wilderness.” So, if he came as an angel of mercy to reveal “the Savior” to us, and to illuminate our minds in acknowledging “the Lamb of God,” he is likewise the ‘lion,’ roaring with his fearsome voice in the wilderness of our barren hearts, eliminating any excuse we might have about not hearing his message. He is also preparing our hearts to accommodate the Crucified Lamb of God and a crying voice reaching into our barren depths, and eagerly looking forward to the redeeming work of God. St. Cyril the Great discerns between the Lord Christ, the ‘Word,’ and His forerunner, John, the ‘voice’: He sees the First, as a shining ‘Sun,’ that is preceded by the ‘morning star,’ saying, [Isaiah was aware of the missionary job of John. So, while he calls Christ “God” and “Prince,”(Isaiah9: 6) he refers to John as a “ ministering messenger” 1 De Trinit. 3:11. 2 In Ioan. 2:17-25. 3 Catena Aurea. 4 An Answer to Jews 9. 7 and a “lamp” which illuminates before the rising of the true light. He is the “morning star” that proclaims the rise of the “Sun” behind the horizon, scattering the darkness. John has been a “voice,” and not a “Word1.”] That voice roared in the wilderness because of its barrenness and lack of the ‘Tree of Life,” that was in the first paradise of Eden. Its purpose was to proclaim the Lord Christ who would be planted in the wilderness of our nature, transforming it by His presence, into an exalted Paradise. With that, St. Ambrose comments on the Divine expression: “The Word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah in the wilderness” (Lk. 3:2). [Before God could establish His Church, He started His work through His minister John. That is why St. Luke announced the advent of the Word of God to John, the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness. This has been fulfilled in the ‘barren’ wilderness, “For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,’ says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:1); That was told, “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne” (Isaiah 54:1), as, He who proclaimed: “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” (Psalm 52: 8), had not, so far, come; and the heavenly Vinedresser has not yet granted fruits to the branches (Jn. 15:1). Thus, the voice roared to make the wilderness bear fruits2.] What did that voice say? “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight” (Mk. 1:3). Fr. Theophlactius believes that the way of the Lord is His gospel, or the New Testament; while His paths are the prophecies that lead us to it. Thus, the goal of St. John was to help us receive the gospel of the Lord through the sound understanding of the prophecies and symbols of the Old Testament. That voice, leading to the Lord Christ and the enjoyment of His gospel, is that of repentance, proclaimed, not only by the words of John the Baptist, but also by His food and his attire. His entire life was a crying voice leading souls to Christ. Because of this, the evangelist says: “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him, and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. And he preached, saying, ‘There comes One after me, who is mightier than I, whose sandal straps, I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:4- 8). In that text, it should be noticed that: a- The theme of his preaching was “the baptism of repentance,” to enjoy the remission of sins. His baptism had its power, not in itself, but in its symbolism of the baptism of the Lord Christ. In the same way, the brass serpent, in Moses time, had the power of healing, symbolizing the cross. Thus, St. John the Baptist prepared them, by his baptism, to enjoy the baptism of the Lord Christ; not only for the remission of sins, but also for the fellowship in the burial and resurrection with the Lord, so that we may attain the likeness of His resurrection” (Rom.6: 4, 5). As St. Jerome said [As he was a forerunner of Christ, his baptism was a preparation to that of the Lord3.] St. Ambrose believed that St. John the Baptist, represents the end of the Law, in his persuading man to enjoy Christ and leading him to Christ, as repentance leads to the إنجیل القدیس لوقا (ترجمة المرحوم كامل جرجس)، عظة 1 .6 5 ترجمة مدام عایدة حنا. 2 - تفسیر لوقا 1 :3 3 Dial. ad Lucif. 7. 8 Lord’s grace for the remission of sins, saying: [The word came to John to proclaim repentance. For that, John has been for many, a symbol of the Law that reveals sins, but is unable to remit them. He who walks in the way of sin, is measured by the Law and is directed towards repentance for the remission of his sin; as, “The Law and the prophets were until John” (Lk. 16:16). Thus, John prepared the way of Jesus Christ, preaching the Law. In the same manner the Church proclaims grace through repentance.] b- St. Jerome sees in John the Baptist a living image of the ascetic life. Although his mother was pious and his father a priest, he was not moved by the emotion of his mother nor by the position of his father to go into the wilderness, seeking Christ with the vision of faith, rejecting everything else1. The more St. John has forsaken the world, the more he drew the people’s hearts to the wilderness, away from the world. He drew all the people of Judea and Jerusalem, to the supreme fragrance of Christ that emerged from him. St. John turned his back to the joyful and pleasant life of the city, and headed to the wilderness, to feed on wild honey and locusts. Similarly, he brought to the Lord Christ, the peoples of nations, spiritually dry as wild honey, bringing a sweet taste in the Lord’s mouth; and turned the Jews, who became like fallen locusts because of their slothfulness to follow the commandments into delicious food for Him! In other words, as we reject the joyous food of the world with John, we gain the souls of others, which become delicious food for the Lord! St. Ambrose saw a prophetic preaching about the work of the Lord Christ in St John’s food and clothing, saying: [He prophesied by his attire, the advent of Christ, Who carried the defilement of our corrupt deeds (as a leather belt of dead animal skin), and the sins of the lowly nations (as camel’s hair); casting away that clothing off of our bodies on the cross. The leather belt refers to the skin that was a burden on the souls, but changed through the advent of Christ… who granted us spiritual strength to girdle ourselves with the commandments of God with a watchful spirit, and a free and ready body. As to the food of John, it likewise carries a sign of his work, and embraces a secret... Hunting for locusts is vain labor, with no benefit, because locusts are not edible. Like locusts in their movement from location to another and their disturbing noise, so was the peoples of nations, devoid of profitable work or fruitful activity; murmuring voices with no meaning or significance, and ignorant of life, that turned into food for the prophet...! The wild honey describes the sweetness of the Church that emerged from the wilderness, not confining its labor to the cells of the Law of the Jews, but rather extending itself to the fields and woods. As it is written, ‘We heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods.’ (Ps. 132:6) John fed on wild honey, referring to the peoples who were satisfied with the honey of the rock. As it is written, “And with honey from the rock, I would have satisfied you.” (Ps. 81:16)2.] So, the nations became satisfied with the Lord Christ (the rock) from the honey of His sweet words which He uttered with love on the cross, and with strength of His joyful Resurrection. c- Frankly, St. John the Baptist proclaimed that he was not Christ, that his baptism was different from that of Christ; and he was far from ever being compared to the Lord. Concerning the baptism, he says, “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk. 1:8). The baptism of John was a mere symbol, cleansing 1 Ep. 125: 7. 2 .5 - تفسیر لوقا 1 :3 9 the body, but that of the Lord Christ sanctifies both the body and the spirit. St. Ambrose says: [The water and the Spirit are inseparable; the baptism of repentance differs from that of grace, which embraces the two together; while the former concerns only one. If the body and the soul take part in sin, so sanctification is required for both.] As to the Lord, he says: “There comes One after me, who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap, I am not worthy to stoop down and loose” MK. (1:7). St. Ambrose says; [John did not mean, by that comparison, to prove that Christ is greater than him; because there is no point in concerning the Son of God to any human being. There are many strong people; even the devil is described as strong: “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house” (Mk. 3:27). But there is no one stronger than Christ. “John refrained from comparing himself to Christ, in saying: “His sandal strap, I am not worthy to stoop down and loose1.”] d- By St. John’s proclamation that he was unworthy to stoop down and loose His sandal strap, he referred to his inability to apprehend the secret of Christ’s Incarnation: How could the Word of God become man?2 Nevertheless, the Lord Christ bowed His head beneath his humble hand to fulfill all righteousness. St. John Chrysostom says; [The hand that he confirmed to be unworthy of loosing His sandal strap, Christ allowed it to be put on His head3.] 3- BAPTISM OF THE LORD CHRIST : Our teacher, the Evangelist St. Matthew, demonstrated for us the baptism of the Lord (Mt. 3: 13 - 17), in the form of a festival to honor and crown a King, to inaugurate His royal endeavor to draw every soul from the kingdom of darkness to that of light, through the enjoyment of sonship to God. In his presentation of Christ - the Minister to humanity -he drew us by His practical love, to enjoy His salvation. Our teacher St. Mark presents to us the Baptism of the Lord, preceding His public ministry, to proclaim the ultimate goal of His ministry and salvation work. The evangelist clarifies five points: (1) Coming up from the water: “It came to pass in these days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heaven parting.” (Mk. 1:9, 10). Coming up from the water confirms that the Lord Christ based baptism on plunging into water, to emphasize our communion with Him through His burial in the grave and also our resurrection with Him. According to the saying of the Apostle Paul: “We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). It is a coming up with the Lord from the grave, to experience practical life in the spirit and power of the resurrection. Baptism is “coming up from water,” as though it is “coming out of the Red Sea.” It is also “a Passover life” through which we do not proceed under Moses’ leadership from the Red Sea into the wilderness, towards Jerusalem; but rather it is a coming up from the grave, hidden inside Christ, the Head, being alone the Conqueror of death, and the Destroyer of the gates of Hades. By that we realize what Isaiah the prophet yearned 1 .5 - تفسیر لوقا 1 :3 الإنجیل بحسب متى، 1983 ، ص 73 ، الأب غریغوریوس (الكبیر) 2 PL 74:1099- 1103. 3 In Matt. hom. 38. 10 for when he said: “Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: ‘Where is he who brought them up out of the sea, with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit? within them? Who led them by the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name” (Isaiah 63:11, 12). According to a certain scholar baptism, in the heavenly concept is the birth of the new people of God into a new exodus through Christ1. The Lord has come out from the water to proclaim and grant to His new people, who are in Him, “the sonship of the heavenly Father”! Jesus Christ is the new Joshua, carrying us across the Jordan towards the Promised Land. In our study of the books of the Old Testament, water was connected to the Messianic time, as one of its main features. In the New Testament, it was connected with the life of the Lord Christ. For in the River Jordan, the Church finds for it a place in Christ Jesus, granting her the adoption. And after His Ascension, He sets forth as the rock of Moses, that followed the people, to flow with the living water of the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost in the wilderness of this world. In the beginning of His public ministry, He turned water into wine to comfort the hearts of the hosts and guests of the wedding (Jn. 2:1-11). He proclaimed His engagement to the Gentiles through the Samaritan woman also near Jacob’s well (Jn. 4). Even when He preached about the works of love, He spoke of the importance of giving cold water to a little one (Mt. 10:42). At the moments of His death, blood and water flowed from His side. Christ also used the pitcher of water as a sign for the disciples to locate the place of the Passover meals (Mk. 14:13). Finally, before His Ascension, He commended His disciples to baptize all nations. As Tertullian says: [What a power the grace of water has, in the sight of God and His Messiah, to confirm baptism! One can never encounter Christ without water!2] What we wish to confirm is that what the Lord did here was neither out of need nor for His benefit. He was baptized in the name of the whole Church, on our behalf, to raise us up from our sins, bringing us to the glory of His inheritance, being the Only- Begotten Son. He experienced the coming out of the water on our behalf, as expressed by St. Cyril the Great: [Was Christ in need of the Holy Baptism? What benefit would He gain by going through that office? The Lord Christ is the Word of God. He is “Holy” as praised by Isaiah (Isaiah5:16), and as described by the Law on all occasions, and confirmed by the crowd of prophets! What do we benefit from the Holy Baptism? Undoubtedly, the remission of our sins. Yet, nothing of that sort can be said of Christ, “Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). “Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26). Christ was baptized only to teach us that the man, from David’s seed, in (hypostatic) union with God the Son, was baptized and received the Holy Spirit. Christ never separated from His Holy Spirit before Baptism... But, He, - as Christ, the Word, the Only-begotten Son of God, who partakes of the Father in glory and authority, because by nature, He is the true Son of God, the Father sends the Holy Spirit to the creation, and grants It to everyone worthy of It, as He truly said: “All things that the Father has are Mine” (Jn. 16:15)3.] St. Ambrose says in his interpretation of the Gospel of Luke: [The Lord was 1 Jerome Bib. Comm. p. 24. 2 On Baptism 9. 3 In Luc. hom 11. 11 baptized, not to get purified, but to purify the water. As Christ, Who knew no sin, descended into the water, it gained the power to purify everyone who is buried therein, casting away his sins in it.] (2) The opened heavens: As Isaiah, looking ahead with the Spirit of prophecy, yearned for the exodus of the new people into the joy of the resurrected life (Isaiah 63:11, 12), he perceived that there was no more need for Moses, who crossed the Red Sea, nor for Joshua, who crossed the Jordan, but only for Him, Who opens the heavens to descend to us and shakes our solid mountains to raise us with Him to where He is, saying: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence” (Isaiah 64:1). Thus, the parting of the heavens, as when Christ was baptized, happened for our sake; its gates were opened before us; Its keys being in the hands of our Groom and Head. Even our inner life itself became opened heavens, inhabited by the God of the heavens. We are sure that, by the water of baptism, we now have the Kingdom of heaven wide open, receiving us through the heavenly Head! As St. Cyril the Great said: [The heaven became open so that man is now close to the holy angels1.] (3) The Spirit descending upon Him: The prophet Isaiah saw in that symbolic exodus, on the hands of Moses, the hidden Spirit of God leading the procession; as he says: “The Spirit of God causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, to make Yourself a glorious name” (Isaiah 63:14). And God always confirmed to Moses, saying: “I will be with your mouth” (Exod. 4:12). But, in the new Exodus, there would be no more need for confirmations, as the Leader is the living Son of God, the One with His Father and the Holy Spirit. The descent of the Spirit upon Him proclaims the role of the Holy Spirit, Who used to hover over the face of the waters to turn the void earth, which was without form, into a beautiful world. Here He is hovering over the waters of the Jordan to make of our dead selves a living holy body for the Holy Head which descends into the waters of the Jordan. It is the Divine Spirit, that molds the new people through the new exodus! St. Cyril the Great, confirmed in his exegesis of the Gospel of Luke that the Lord Christ, in the moments of His baptism, is Himself the incarnated Word of God; Who has never been separate from His Holy Spirit, but it is God who sends His Holy Spirit on His Church. What took place during His baptism has been for our sake, saying: [He descended, at first, over Christ, Who received the Holy Spirit, not for His own sake but for ours, the human kind, as we, by Him and in Him, we are granted grace over grace... And now, we took Christ as our role Model; so let us approach the grace of holy baptism... that God would open for us the gates of heaven, and would send to us the Holy Spirit, who receives us as His children. As God, the Father, addressed Christ, at the time of His holy baptism, as though, by Him and in Him, He received man who is inhabiting the earth, proclaiming in the sweet voice, the sonship of human kind, saying: “You are My beloved Son; In You I am well pleased” (Lk. 3:22)2.] (4) Appearance of the Spirit like a dove: If the dove refers to Israel, or the Church of God in the Old and New Testaments (Mk. 11:11; Ps. 68:13; 74:19; Songs 1:15; 2:14; 4:1; 5:2,12), the appearance of the Holy Spirit like a dove only confirms that the Church is hidden in Christ our God. It is a spiritual Church that carries His features, through the Holy Spirit abiding in her, and working incessantly in her. It is as if the Holy 1 In Luc. hom 11. 2 In Luc. hom 11. 12 Spirit appears as the finger of God, pointing to us that we can find our salvation in Him who is standing there in the Jordan! (5) Hearing a voice from heaven: In the Old testament, we heard the Divine voice through the prophecy: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:1). Now the same voice from heaven confirms that He is the Word of God, the Only-Begotten Son, who became a Servant to accomplish the mission of salvation and the institution of the Church in the waters of baptism. That voice came so that we would perceive that in it, we may enjoy the delight of the heavenly Father, and be counted as His children, through the water of baptism and the work of His Holy Spirit. St. Cyril the Great, said concerning this: [Christ, as I have already said, is truly the Only-Begotten Son of God; and as He took our likeness, His Sonship was proclaimed; not for His own sake, as He has been, still is and will always be the Son: But the sonship is proclaimed for our own sake. We, have became the children of God, with Christ, being the Firstborn and our Master. He is the second Adam, as is said: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; Behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). We cast away the oldness of the first Adam, and replaced him with the newness of the Second Adam, Who by Him and with Him, is the glory and dominion, with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and to the age of ages1.] Thus in the baptism of the Lord Christ, the Holy Trinity appeared distinct but not separate bullet. The incarnate Son rose from the water to grant us the resurrection from our sins, to enter through Him into the fellowship of His glories. The Holy Spirit also descended like a dove to institute the Church of Christ; the dove which carries the feature of its Master. The voice of the Father coming from heaven, proclaims our adoption to Him, in His Son, and transforms us into living spiritual stores that rise up through the open heavens to establish the eternal Church. So the Holy Trinity appeared to build us up; that is why the baptism of the Lord is called the feast of “Theophany.” We should confirm what St. Augustine said: [That is what we are bound by truly and zealously: that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are a Trinity that is inseparable; One God and not three2.] 4- HIS TEMPTATION The temptation occupied a principal role in our salvation. The King entered into an open battle with the evil one, after having been crowned on account of His people. St. Mark referred to it very concisely, compared to the account in Matthew 4:1-11 and in Lk. 4:1-13. We have already dealt with several of the sayings of the Church Fathers concerning this issue3. St Mark presented the temptation in a lively way, saying: “And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him” (Mk. 1:12, 13). Several scholars saw the Gospel of St. Mark as the ‘Book of Passion,’ describing the continuous temptation of Christ and His battle against Satan and the evil 1 In Luc. hom 11. 2 Ser. On N. T. Lessons 2: 2. الإنجیل بحسب متى، 1983 ، ص 77 الخ. 3 13 spirits, either directly or through his servants who fell under his authority and worked for him. What occurred during the forty days in the wilderness, was nothing but the beginning of a battle which had its climax on the Cross, where the enemy yearned to get rid of Him. Yet, as the Master was crucified, the enemy found himself crucified and devoid of any authority. And as the Apostle Paul says; “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). The Evangelist St. Mark concentrated on the following points: (1) The Spirit drove Him out into the wilderness. If the Holy Spirit, who is one with Christ, drove Him out to battle, we are setting forth with Christ, by the Holy Spirit, to the same battle, carrying with us divine capabilities for strife and contest. It is undoubtedly, winning battle for him who is led by the Spirit of the Lord! It is the battle of God! We do not partake in it, but rather are only tools in the hands of God: That is why St. John Saba says: [The courageous believer is confronted by all the creation, fighting him with noise and clouds, he would not be overcome; because all what that man utters, he does in the way God does: All creatures obey him, or rather, God dwelling inside of him1.] We conquer, if we are driven out by the Holy Spirit, into the spiritual battle, not alone but in the Head, Christ. Therefore, St. Cyril the Great says: [Now, we have become in Christ, glorified by His victory; while before, we were defeated in the first Adam. Let us praise God and sing the songs of joy to God, our Savior. Let us tread over Satan beneath our feet, and rejoice for his fall into disgrace. Let us address him by the words of the prophet Jeremiah; “How the hammer of the whole earth, has been cut apart and broken!... You have been found and also caught, because you have contended against the Lord” (Jer. 50:23, 24). Since the early ages, and before the advent of Christ, the Savior of the whole world, Satan, our great adversary, has been thinking evil and priding over the weakness of humanity, saying; “My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; and there was no one who moved his wing, nor opened his mouth with even a peep” (Isaiah 10:14). Plainly speaking, no one has dared to confront Satan except the Son, who fought strongly against him, while having our likeness. For that, nature has conquered in Jesus Christ, and gained the crown of victory and conquest. From ancient times, the Son has spoken to us on the tongues of His prophets about Satan, our bitter enemy saying: “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys all the earth.” (Jer. 51:25)2] St. Ambrose says; [If Satan did not tempt Him, God would not have secretly set Adam free of captivity for my sake3.] (2) His strife against Satan for 40 days refers to the ancient people who despite the exodus from the land of bondage, spent 40 years in the wilderness, striving in numerous temptations, and ultimately failed to enter the Promised Land. However, we are led by a new Leader in Whom we are hidden, who fights for us, grants us victory and conquest, and enters with us not into a land that flows with milk and honey, but the everlasting divine bosom. (3) Probably he wanted to confirm by that biblical text, that the only enemy of the 1 .39 ، القمص بفنوتیوس السریاني، مار یوحنا سابا 1977 ، ص 38 21 (المرحوم كامل جرجس). 2 - تفسیر لوقا، عظة 12 تفسیر لوقا 3 .1 :4 14 Lord Christ is Satan, who strived against Him. Regarding the creation, it is the subject of His love. If mankind has transformed into beasts because of sin, He came to dwell among us, “and was with the wild beasts” to transform, by His presence, the wild beasts into heavenly creatures. Probably, by saying: “He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him” (Mk. 1:13), he is referring to the ‘Messianic time,’ prophesied by several prophets, when the beastly nature would be abolished. This is when, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25; Hosea 2:18). Thus the beasts would come together with the angels; thus beasts themselves are turned into angels; and the angels rejoice in His work in the beasts. St. Mark most likely uses the beasts to describe evil. He, probably means, by the beasts, the evil (Ps. 22:13-22; Isaiah 13:21, 22; Ezek. 34:5, 8, 25); As the Lord has come to the wilderness, to fight evil in its own domain. (4) The Lord wasn’t in need for the angels to serve Him, but they did so for our sake. Likewise, for us His Holy Spirit led Him to the wilderness to live among wild beasts in peace. Thus the whole creation support us in Him: wild beasts live among us as in Noah’s ark without causing us harm, and angels serve us by guarding us, and praying on our behalf and with us. 5- PREACHING THE NEW KINGDOM “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the new kingdom of God, and saying: ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:14,15) a- Since John represents the Law that bears witness to the joyful gospel of Christ, it is possible for the preaching of the gospel to engulf the soul with joy when the killing letter of the Law is first put away to set forth the constructive Spirit. The Law came to lead us to Lord Christ. Yet, as man bound himself with the letter of the Law, the letter had to be put away, to open the gate of the Spirit before us, as we were told by St. Ambrose and St. Hilary of Poitiers1. b- The withdrawal of the Lord to Galilee after John’s arrest reveals to us His wish not to confront evil; and as Fr. Theophlactius says: [This is to teach us to withdraw before persecutions, and not to wait for them; Yet, in case we are already fallen under them, we should stand firm2.] The Lord withdrew, not out of fear of pain or affliction, but in order to consummate His mission of healing and preaching, until it was the time to set off to death, even for the sake of His adversaries and executors themselves. c- The theme of the Lord’s missionary work was the fulfillment of time and the nearness of the kingdom, through His advent, to grant the believers in Him and in His gospel, enjoyment through repentance. Lord Christ expounds Himself as a theme for preaching; for by Him, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God came into us, so as to enjoy His salvation. By the fulfillment of time, He probably means the ending of the Law by His advent, to realize what the Law led them to and also fulfill the prophesies in ا رجع الإنجیل بحسب متى، 1983 ، ص 1 .249 2 Catena Aurea. 15 Him. St. John Saba speaks to us about that kingdom, saying: [Lord! Grant us to enter, by You, into the temple of our souls; and in it, we behold You, O the Treasure of hidden life... Blessed is he, who always beholds You inside him, for his heart would be illuminated to recognize sins1.] d- From God’s side, prophesies have been fulfilled, and His kingdom became imminent and very near to every soul. From man’s side, repentance and acceptance of the word of the gospel, would be expected; “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:15) St. John Saba speaks to us of the activity of repentance, saying: [Who would not love you, O repentance, who carries all blessings, except for the devil, whose riches and possessions you have acquired?2] e- From the expression “John was put in prison,” we understand that his arrest was through the betrayal of the Jews. Yet, in spite of that, shackles and imprisonment did not lead to a hindrance in his missionary work, but rather to its strengthening stronger. 6- CALLING OF DISCIPLES The Lord Christ came, not only to minister personally to humanity, but to ordain disciples who would carry His same Spirit, to work by them and minister through them. St. Mark narrates to us about how the Lord called four of these disciples among illiterate fishermen: Simon, Andrew, James and John; the two sons of Zebedee. He chose them illiterate, as stated by Origen and by St. Jerome3, in order not to refer their achievements to their own eloquence and philosophy, but to the divine work in them. The Lord called them up in two groups along the shore of the Sea of Galilee - a fresh-water lake, 13 miles long, bordered by Galilee on the west side. Also known as the Lake of Gennesaret, and the Lake of Tiberias, according to the names of the surrounding provinces; this is the body of water into which the river Jordan flows from the North. Fr. Theophlactius4 believed that Simon and Andrew, disciples of John the Baptist (Jn. 1:35-40), followed the Lord Christ when they heard their teacher bearing witness to Him, but come back periodically to help their aged father. Thus what was mentioned in the Gospel according to St. Mark was not their first encounter with the Lord; However, His call took them away from their worldly jobs to be completely dedicated to discipleship and missionary work. In a text attributed to St. Jerome these four disciples were like the horses of fire, carrying the chariot that took up Elijah, in a whirlwind, to heaven. We can even say that they resemble four living bricks used by the Lord to build His living Church. These four also refer to, by their names, the four virtues that are required for the Christian life, or for discipleship to the Lord: The first, ‘Simon,’ meaning ‘listening’ or ‘obedience’ to the Lord and His commandments. The second was named ‘Peter,’ or ‘the rock,’ as obedience to the Lord is based on the rock of faith. ‘Andrew’ means ‘manhood’ or ‘seriousness;’ as faith cannot be received mentally, without work and seriousness in life. ‘James,’ means persistent spiritual pursuit and strife. Lastly, ‘John,’ means ‘God is compassionate’ or ‘grantor;’ as there is no receiving of God’s call and enjoyment of 1 .52 ، القمص بفنوتیوس السریاني، ص 48 القمص بفنوتیوس السریاني، ص 2 .47 الإنجیل بحسب متى، 1983 ، ص 3 .90 4 Catena Aurea. 16 discipleship unless it is granted to us by God, the compassionate. Fr. Theophlactius believes that these four started with ‘Peter,’ well known for his preoccupation in work, and consummated by ‘John,’ well known for his life of contemplation. The first, according to him, refers to life of work, and the second to life of contemplation. There is no way to enjoy contemplation in godliness, unless it is preceded by a life of work and strife! As a matter of fact, it is difficult to isolate or separate the two of them, as they are one and the same. Finally, He called them from the Sea of Galilee, referring to the sea of this world, so as to soar them up above its waves, in order to be able to rescue every soul drawn down by its whirlpools. 7- HIS AMAZING WORKS OF LOVE St. Mark, in writing about John the Baptist, quickly paraded through the Lord’s Baptism. Temptation, missionary work, and call to four disciples; while expounding the essence of his gospel: “Christ, The Minister of Mankind,” who serves with humility and love, yet also with authority and power. In this chapter, he presents us with some samples of Christ’s works, not in chronological order, but took care to expound a biblical thought touching our relation with the Lord, who works for and in us. A- Casting out an unclean spirit The evangelist presented to us, the first work of the Lord, in a Sabbath, in a synagogue, in Capernaum, where, “He taught as One having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mk. 1:22). There He casts out an unclean spirit, after rebuking it and rejecting its testimonial to Him. For that, “They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mk. 1:27) Why did St. Mark start with that miracle, in his presentation of the works of the Lord? (1) He intended to proclaim that the Lord Christ is a unique Teacher, to whom His listeners themselves, amazed by His teaching, bear witness, saying; “What new doctrine is this?” The scribes explained the Law in the synagogue every Sabbath, used human words. Even when they uttered divine words, they did it out of a dry and an empty soul. On the contrary, Lord Christ, being the Word of God, attracts the soul, “piercing even to the division of soul and Spirit (Heb. 4:12). St. Cyril the Great said: [They saw before them, a teacher who addresses them, not like a mere prophet, but as a supreme God to whom, the Spirit before the body prostrates, the Lord of the Law1.] (2) Concerning the location, it was called ‘Capernaum,’ that is to say, ‘place of repose’ or ‘comfort.’ And as to the action, the Lord cast away the unclean spirit, the destroyer of man, spirit and body. It is as if wherever the Lord goes, He turns the place into that of real repose and comfort. He turns our days into a permanent Sabbath, casting away from us every evil spirit that destroys our life. The goal of Lord Christ is real repose in Him. And as St. John Saba said, [You who labor and are heavy laden, place your head on the Lord’s knee and have rest. Lean on His chest and smell the fragrance of life. Lean on Him, for He is your dining table, out of which you feed. Cleanse your mirror, to discern the light of the Trinity. Have this in your heart, to feel that God is living within 1 In Luce. hom 12-21. 17 you, for you, O man, are the image and likeness of God1.] (3) Satan, or the unclean spirit recognized Lord Christ, as the Holy One who was humbly incarnated, and apprehended that the humility of the Lord overshadowed His pride. He assumed that it was the proper time to condemn Him, so he cried out: “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God” (Mk. 1:24). The Lord rejected his testimony, and rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him.” (Mk. 1:25) The following are comments of some of the Church Fathers concerning that episode: Even the demons utter the name of God; yet they are demons... He used to rebuke them and cast them away. That is why I ask you to rid yourselves of that evil, namely, the utterance of the name of God in vain2. St. John Chrysostom What St. Peter said (Mt. 8: 29), was said also by the demons; the words are the same, but the mind is different... The faith of a Christian is based on love, while that of demons is devoid of love... Peter said that in order to embrace Christ, while the demons uttered it to make Christ leave them alone3. “The demons believe and tremble” (James 2: 19). Faith has its power, but without love it is of no avail. The demons acknowledged Christ, and their acknowledgment was based on belief without love... We should not boast about our faith, if it is on the level of that of demons4. How great is the power of God’s humility, that was demonstrated in His taking of the likeness of a slave; that conquered the pride of demons. Recognizing this, they expressed it by saying to the Lord, clothed in the weakness of the flesh, “What have we to do with you (What should we do to you), Jesus of Nazareth?!...” These words show that they are knowledgeable, but without love; the reason for that is their being horrified of what He could do to them, and their dislike of His righteousness5. St. Augustine The demons saw, in their being cast away from that man, destruction on their part. They have no mercy, they reckon that they would suffer if they do not cause harm to mankind6. Fr. Theophlactius The demons’ knowledge of Him, was as far as God allowed them to have; but they did not know Him in the way the holy angels do, who enjoy an eternal fellowship with Him, being the Word of God7. St. Augustine The truth is in no need of a testimony by the unclean spirits. We should not believe رسالة 1 .26 2 Instr. To Catech .2: 4. 3 In Ioan. hom 10: 1. 4 In Ioan. hom 6: 2. 5 City of God. 6 Catena Aurea. 7 Catena Aurea. 18 demons, even if they proclaim the truth1. So-called St. John Chrysostom Christ did not let demons acknowledge Him, as it is not fit for them to take over the apostolic office. They also do not have the right to speak, with their unclean tongues, of the secret of Christ’s redemption. Yes! We should not believe the evil spirits, even if they speak the truth; because the light is not revealed by the darkness; as expressed by the apostle Paul: “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14, 15) 2. St. Cyril the Great B- Healing Simon’s mother-in-law “Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them” (Mk. 1:29-31). We have already dealt with the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law in our study of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (8:14, 15). We mentioned St. Ambrose’s view3 that that Simon’s mother-in-law refers to our body, attacked by the various fevers of sins, turning it into a captive of pain, cast down without work; in need of a physician to release it from the bonds of sickness. The following could be noticed in what the Lord did: (1) St. John Chrysostom notices that the Lord Christ was coming out of the synagogue in Capernaum, heading to Simon’s house to eat; proving that by the words of the evangelist: “...the fever left her, and she served them” ( 31)4. That house was open to to serve the Master, so the Master came to serve it. It is as though whenever we serve the Lord Christ we are, in fact, getting His service, and enjoying His exalted work in us. St. John Chrysostom believes that Simon did not invite the Lord to heal his mother-in-law, but waited for Him until He consummated His preaching in the synagogue, and healing of many. When He finally came to his house, he told Him about her. [Thus, from the beginning, he learned to put others’ interests ahead of his.] (2) St. John Chrysostom says that the Lord Christ [did not hesitate to enter the huts of the poor fishermen; teaching us in every way, to trample upon human pride beneath our feet5.] And in explaining His coming out of the synagogue, and heading to a simple hut to heal its sick, he says: [While training us on humility; He meant to alleviate the envy of the Jews towards Him, instructing us to keep away of doing anything out of desire for showing off6.] That was also confirmed by St. Augustine in his saying: [He wanted them to understand that His deeds were not for the sake of showing off, but out of desire to heal humanity7.] In His casting away of the demon or the unclean spirit, the Lord spoke with authority, ordering it to come out; but when He encountered a sick person, to escape the 1 Catena Aurea. 2 In Luc. hom 12-21. 3 In Luc. 4. 4 In Matt. hom 27. 5 In Matt. hom 27. 6 In Matt. hom 27. 7 In Ioan. tr 91: 3. 19 praise of men He took her by the hand and the fever left her. The compassionate One has a true authority over us, by His words as well as by the touch of His hand. St. Cyril the Great gave a beautiful expression on the use of the touch of His hand to heal, saying: [I wish you to notice the power of His body. When it touches someone, it wipes away every sickness and infirmity, defeats the devil and his collaborators, and heals crowds of people in a glimpse of time. Although Christ could have conducted miracles with only a word, He “took her by the hand” to teach us that the holy body He took as His temple had the power of the Divine Word. May God, the Word bind us to Him; and may we bind to Him by the mysterious communion of His body, so that the soul could be healed of its infirmities and prevail over the attacks and hostilities of the devils1.] (3) The Evangelist presents to us Lord Christ as a Minister to all, working incessantly among the multitudes in Capernaum until, “His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee” (Mk. 1:28). He withdrew afterwards to a small hut to heal a woman with a fever, then found many people crowding the door. He went out to heal many of them and to cast away many unclean spirits. Wherever He is, He draws all to His divine bosom through his practical love. (4), Probably, the synagogue in Capernaum, refers to the community of the Jews, among whom were some with unclean spirits, because of lack of faith. The Lord came to them to rebuke those evil spirits in order to gain them as members of His Body. His visit to Simon’s house to encounter his sick mother-in-law may refer to His work among the Gentiles to rid them of the fever of idolatry and evil practices, and to turn their focus on His service. Therefore the Lord came to this world to save everyone. He came to heal the feverish mother-in-law of Simon, after rebuking and casting out the unclean spirit; rescuing the people by binding the evil enemy, destroying his authority and driving him out of their hearts. (5) In his narratives, St. Mark used the words “lifted her up” ( 31). The Greek expression ‘egeiro’ was often used in the resurrection of Lord Christ Himself2 (Mk. 14:28; 16:6; 1 Cor. 15:4; Acts 3:15; 13:37). She was not in need of being healed of her physical infirmity, but of being raised from the dead. She needed the source of resurrection Himself, to raise her with Him. (6) The evangelist says, “He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them” (Mk. 1:31). Getting in touch with the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ, takes away from us the fever of sickness, or the burning flame of evil. We do not live in the coolness of spirit, but in a new flame, which is the flame of the active spirit, ministering to all, if not through the ministry of preaching, through the good example and silence. Our lives are then turned into flames fueled by the Holy Spirit, kindling others and being kindled with them by the Spirit. As expressed by the St. John Saba: [In the same way, fire does not decrease in intensity, through lighting several flames out of it. Also, the grace of one with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside will not decrease if he gives grace to others.] (7) The healing of Simon’s mother-in-law drew the entire city to enjoy healing as well. “Now at evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick, and those who were demon-possessed’ And the whole city was gathered together at the 1 In Luc. 12-21. 2 Jerome Bib. Comm. p. 26. 20 door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him” (Mk. 1:32-34). They brought Him all who were sick and demon-possessed after sunset, as it was the Sabbath. The Jews were still unable to understand the spiritual concept of the Sabbath as a day of repose, during which wearied souls could find healing. So they waited until the Sabbath came to an end by the sunset. As to saying “He healed many” and not “He healed all,” this could probably be because of lack of faith, that deprived some of His divine grace. When demons realized His identity, He rebuked them and rejected their testimonial, casting out many of them! As the Word of God incarnated and dwelt among the Jews, He turned their night into day, and healed many souls, amongst whom was Simon’s mother-in-law, the disciples, apostles and the Marys. As His body ascended, it was as though the evening had come, and the sun set had people of all nations gathered together at the door to ask for the Messiah to work in them. The Lord healed many and cast out many demons, transforming the faith of many from idolatry to Christianity. In other words, through His Ascension (or by sunset), the door was opened to the Gentiles to enjoy faith with true repentance, leading to the Kingdom of God in them, in place of the destructive kingdom of Satan. C- Casting out demons “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’ But He said to them, ‘Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.’ And He was preaching in their synagogue throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons” (Mk. 1:35-39). Lord Christ spent the whole Sabbath preaching, healing and casting out unclean spirits. By sunset, the whole town came to Him to have their needs fulfilled. In the early morning, He went out and departed to a solitary place to pray. He, the Receiver of prayers, prayed to teach us to resort to praying all the time. The town He encountered the day before was seeking Him; but He wanted to go to the neighboring towns to preach and to minister. He refused to confine His work to a single town in order to shine the rays of His love everywhere, to cast away from them the evil spirits and adversaries. Some scholars agree with Fr. Theophlactius’s view, that this text also carries a symbolic meaning. In the very early morning Christ went out, through His disciples, to the Gentiles, as though to a solitary place. Truly, He was followed by Simon and those who were with him, representing the faithful Jews who believed in Him, and were longing for the salvation of their nation. But the order was given: ‘Let us go into the next towns,’ that is to say, ‘Let us go to work among the Gentiles!’ There the apostle stated that “He was preaching... and casting out demons,” introducing His kingdom and destroying that of darkness. D- Cleansing a leper The Master shone His rays of love to draw many, among whom was a leper, who was rejected by all, in fear of getting defiled. He approached Him believing that He is above the Law, capable of curing him if He was willing, saying: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Mk. 1:40) As though he was saying, ‘The Law is defaming me, 21 exposing my weakness, and declaring my uncleanness, to chase people away from me. But, You alone, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ He did not ask Him to entreat God for him, but he knew who He is; that He is the One who wills and is to be obeyed! St. John Chrysostom says: [He did not say ‘Make me clean,’ but left everything in His hands, and left his cure according to His will; in testimony of His authority1.] The leper knelt down to Him, proclaiming his submission, physically and spiritually: The Lord was impressed by his contrition, “moved with compassion, put out His hand and touched him, and said to him: ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’” (Mk. 1:41) He gave him His love and compassion, before granting him healing and cleansing. He could have said just a word to cleanse him. But, in compassion, He put out His hand, to proclaim that He is the Creator Who discerns between the sickness and the sick; between the sin and the sinner... He puts out His hand, lovingly touching everyone, whatever his uncleanness, to cure him. He wanted to proclaim that He, as the Maker, and Lord of the Law, does not get defiled through touching a leper: Leprosy instead, escapes by His touch. By His compassionate touch, and His words “I am willing; be cleansed,” He was proclaiming that the world is in need of a practical touch of love, amalgamated with the commandment, and even preceding it. Putting out His hand here refers to the incarnation of the Word. So if the leper refers to Adam who was infected by the leprosy of sin and love of the world, as did Gehazi, Elisha’s servant he would be in need of the incarnation of the Word to cleanse him of his leprosy. In our study of the gospel according to St. Matthew (8:1-4), we explained how the Lord commanded the cured leper to show himself to the priest, to offer for his cleansing. We showed how even when the Lord ordered him to say nothing to anyone, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, spreading the matter.
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