St Mark Chapter XIV : Verses 26-31
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| The protestations of St Peter. J-J Tissot |
[27] And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in my regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed.
[28] But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
[29] But Peter saith to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I.
[30] And Jesus saith to him: Amen I say to thee, today, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shall deny me thrice.
[31] But he spoke the more vehemently: Although I should die together with thee, I will not deny thee.
[26] Et hymno dicto exierunt in montem Olivarum. [27] Et ait eis Jesus : Omnes scandalizabimini in me in nocte ista : quia scriptum est : Percutiam pastorem, et dispergentur oves. [28] Sed postquam resurrexero, praecedam vos in Galilaeam. [29] Petrus autem ait illi : Et si omnes scandalizati fuerint in te, sed non ego. [30] Et ait illi Jesus : Amen dico tibi, quia tu hodie in nocte hac, priusquam gallus vocem bis dederit, ter me es negaturus. [31] At ille amplius loquebatur : Et si oportuerit me simul commori tibi, non te negabo. Similiter autem et omnes dicebant.
Notes
Note. — From the accounts given by St Luke and St John, it would seem that this event took place at the paschal supper. Some expositors harmonize the apparent discrepancy in the four gospel narratives by supposing that Christ predicted the denial twice, once in the supper room, and again when they were on the road to Olivet.
26. said an hymn : better, chanted. This probably refers to the chanting of the last part of the Hallel (Psalms cxiv.-cxvii.).
to the Mount of Olives. This mountain was situated outside the city walls, within a sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem.
Josephus tells us that the gates were opened at midnight, so that those who wished to leave the city could do so (see Antiq., xviii. ii. 2), therefore it must have been after midnight, when Jesus and His disciples went to the Mount of Olives, since the gates of the city were only thrown open then, having been closed since sunset. On leaving the cenaculum, Jesus and His little band of disciples, taking a northerly direction, would have to pass the house of Annas and Caiphas ; then, according to a local tradition, they turned due east and went down the flights of steps that led to Ophel, the poorest quarter of Jerusalem, and to the gate at the south-east of the city. Thence the road led north-east until they came to the brook Cedron. A bridge spanned the brook, close to which lay Gethsemani.
27. You will all be scandalized in my regard. Our Lord means that when the disciples witnessed His humiliations and sufferings, it would be a sore trial to their faith, and would lead them to doubt that He was the Messiah. That this actually occurred we see from St Luke (xxiv. 21). But we hoped that it was he that should have redeemed Israel; and now besides all this, etc. Evidently these disciples no longer hoped , and all were incredulous at first as regards the resurrection of Christ.
I will strike the shepherd , etc. The prophecy is not literally quoted ; it runs thus, Awake , 0 sword , against my shepherd , and against the man that cleaveth to me, saith the Lord of hosts : strike the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn my hand to the little ones (Zach. xiii. 7). Jesus refers the prophecy to Himself as the good shepherd (St John x. 11).
In quoting this prophecy the Evangelist represents God as saying I will strike, etc., and in truth the death of the Son was willed by the Father, that thus the Redemption of man might be effected, but He allowed human agents to accomplish His designs. God could not will man’s sin, but He can make it serve His designs, and thus bring good out of evil.
the sheep shall be dispersed. Primarily the prophecy referred to the Jewish priests and to the Israelites, but there is a secondary reference to Christ the Messiah and to the disciples, the sheep of His flock. These words were fulfilled when in Gethsemani his disciples leaving him , all fled away (xiv. 50). They were also accomplished in the dispersion of the Jews.
28. But after I shall be risen , etc. Christ now turns His hand to His little ones. In spite of their weak faith and of their cowardice, He promises to see them again, and foretells once more His resurrection.
I will go before you into Galilee. The angel of the Resurrection used these very words, and reminded the disciples of Christ’s promise, Remember how he spoke unto you , when he was yet in Galilee , saying , The Son of man must .... the third day rise again (St Luke xxiv. 6, 7). And going quickly , tell ye his disciples that he is risen : and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo , I have foretold it to you (St Matt, xxviii. 7). In spite of the disciples’ predicted defection, Jesus consoles them —
(1) by the assurance that He will rise again.
(2) by promising to meet them in Galilee.
The prediction itself, after its accomplishment, would strengthen their faith, since knowing that they would forsake Him, Christ had promised to see them in Galilee. There is perhaps in these words an allusion to the shepherd preceding his flock.
29. Peter saith to him : Although all , etc. St Peter, always impulsive and generous, cannot believe such desertion possible.
In his reply we notice—
1. St Peter rejects the very idea as an impossibility, and bluntly contradicts our Lord. He evidently regarded our Lord’s words as a mark of distrust of the disciples rather than as a prediction and solemn warning.
2. St Peter asserts his strength of character to be greater than that of the other disciples.
3. He trusts to his own strength, though the remembrance of how his faith failed when he was sinking in the Lake of Galilee, should have prevented this presumption.
30. Amen I say to thee. Our Lord uses His solemn asseveration to check St Peter’s assumption and enforce the warning.
to-day , even in this night , etc. Notice the gradation “to-day” (the day had begun at sunset), “ even this night,” hence before to-morrow’s dawn, before the second cock-crowing. The cock crew at midnight, and again about three o’clock in the morning.
In this chapter (verses 68-72) we find the fulfilment of this prediction. It has been objected that it was forbidden to have cocks and hens in Jerusalem, but this prohibition (if observed, which is very doubtful) could not affect the Romans, who would certainly have kept fowls in the Castle of Antonia, and whence Jews could hear the cock crowing distinctly. The Romans used these birds, and even carried them with them when on the march, since they required chickens for the auspices. It is mentioned by one of the rabbinical writers that a cock, which had killed a little child in Jerusalem, was slain.
deny me thrice : not merely once, but thrice. St Mark alone gives the details —
(a) that the cock should crow twice.
(b) St Peter’s vehement, second declaration of fidelity.
31. spoke the more vehemently. He denied the bare possibility of such a denial, with increased energy. St Peter, from whom St Mark received his gospel, reveals his own weakness with profound humility.
Some writers affirm that St Peter never lost faith in our Lord, since Christ had prayed that his faith fail not, but that he sinned against charity in lacking the courage to profess his faith openly.
Although I should die, etc. St Peter was sincere in his protestations of fidelity, but he had yet to learn how weak human nature is in the face of temptation and suffering. St Luke and St John give St Peter’s protestation more fully. I will lay down my life for thee (St John xiii. 37). Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death (St Luke xxii. 33). St Thomas likewise had made a protestation of fidelity in the name of his companions. Let us also go, that we may die with him (St John xi. 16).
in like manner also said they all ( i.e . all the Eleven). Judas was not present. We may be sure that they were sincere in their offer, but their inexperience led them to underestimate the force of the trial that awaited them.
Additional Notes
First Prediction (Holy Thursday).
St Luke xxii. 31-34. St John xiii. 33-38.
“ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me ; and, as I said to the Jews : whither I go, you cannot come, so now I say to you, I give you a new commandment ; that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men shall know, that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another. Simon Peter said to him: Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered : Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. Peter saith to him, Why cannot I follow thee now ? I will lay down my life for thee. Jesus answered him ; Wilt thou lay down thy life for me ? Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not ; and thou being once converted, confirm thy brethren. And he said to him : Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death. And he said : Amen, amen, I say to thee ; Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deny that thou knowest me. ”
Second Prediction of St Peter’s Denial.
St Matt. xxvi. 30-35. St Mark xiv. 26-31. St John xviii. 1.
“When Jesus had said these things, and when they had sung a hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives. Then Jesus saith to them : All you shall be scandalized in me this night ; for it is written : I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him : Though all men shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I ; I will never be scandalized. And Jesus said to him : Amen, 1 say to thee, to-day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spoke the more vehemently : Although I should die together with thee I will not deny thee ; and in like manner said all the disciples.” (Maas’ Life of Christ.)
Christ’s discourse. Prom St John it appears that the last discourse of Jesus and His prayer for His disciples followed the first prediction of St Peter’s fall. This discourse included —
(a) The announcement of His departure.(b) The promise of the Comforter.(c) The comparison of Himself to a vine.(d) The prediction of trials that awaited the Apostles.(e) The prayer for His disciples.
After the discourse the “ Hallel ” was chanted.
The disciples’ cowardice and desertion.
During the Passion of Christ all the Apostles were weak and cowardly. They were guilty of presumption and of want of faith in Christ’s prediction concerning their desertion. This prediction did not make them cowardly, nor were they obliged to desert Him. They did so spontaneously and from fear. Jesus predicted the event as He foresaw it; to Him all things are present : “ He foresees things because they are to happen, and how they are to happen, viz. , freely, if there be question of contingent free acts ” (MacEvilly, Commentaries , p. 523).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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