Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion At the Procession with Palms Additional Readings

The following are alternate readings for Reading I, to be used with the Procession with Psalms.

The main readings for Palm Sunday can be found by Clicking Here.
Again, for those who are unfamiliar with this site. This material is for personal study. These are the comparable readings for the Catholic Church in the USA from the Haydock Douay-Rheims and are not the exact readings from Mass, which are from the New American Bible. No permission is necessary to publish this material. Official readings are at
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/040509b.shtml

As always, the Haydock notes will be posted below the readings. These readings are
Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 11:1-10
Haydock New Testament

AND when they were drawing near to Jerusalem, and to Bethania, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, And saith to them:

Go into the village that is over-against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet hath sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any man shall say to you: What are you doing? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him: and immediately he will let him come hither.

And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him. And some of them that stood there, said to them:

What do you, loosing the colt?

They said to them as Jesus had commanded them: and they let him go with them. And they brought the colt to Jesus: and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying:

Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father, David, that cometh: Hosanna in the highest.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint John 12:12-16
Haydock New Testament

And on the next day a great multitude, that was come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem; Took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried:

Hosannah, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!

And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written; Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy king cometh, sitting on the colt of an ass.

These things his disciples did not know at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him.

Haydock Commentary Mark 11:1-10
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 1. This place, doubtless, had its name from the great number of olive-trees that grow upon it. It lay a little out of Jerusalem, on the east side, about five furlongs from the city, according to Josephus; but he must be understood of the nearest part of it, since S. Luke makes the distance to be a sabbath-day’s journey, i.e. eight furlongs, or a mile; unless we suppose he meant the summit of the hill, from which our Saviour ascended. Acts i. 12. Mr. Maundrell says: I and my companions going out of Jerusalem, at S. Stephen’s gate and crossing the valley of Josaphat, began immediately to ascend the mountain; and being about two-thirds of the way up, we came to certain grottos, cut with intricate windings and caverns, under ground, which were called, the sepulchres of the prophets; that a little higher up, were twelve arched vaults under ground, standing side by side, and built in memory of the apostles, who are said to have compiled their creed in this spot. Sixty paces higher, we came to the place where Christ is said to have uttered his prophecy, concerning the final destruction of Jerusalem; and a little on the right hand, to another, where he is said to have dictated (a second time) the Lord’s prayer to his disciples. A little higher, is a came of a saint called Pelagia; a little lower, a pillar denoting the place where an angel gave the blessed Virgin three day’s warning of her death; and, at the top of all, we saw the place of our blessed Lord’s ascension. See Maundrell’s Journey to Jerusalem. — In the Greek, being between Bethphage and Bethania. Bethania, which they had just left, was about one mile and a half from Jerusalem: Bethphage was between the two. V.
• Ver. 2. This order of Jesus Christ shews his omniscience and supreme dominion. By the former, he informs his two disciples that in Bethphage they would find a colt tied; and by the latter, he assures them that the master, on learning that the Lord hath need of the colt, will immediately let him go. A.
• Ver. 8. The martyrs strewed garments in the way by putting off the garments of the flesh, and thus preparing a way by their blood for the servants of God. Many strew their garments in the way, by subduing their bodies in fasting and abstinence, and thus affording good example to those that follow them. Those cut down branches from the trees, who in their instructions take their seeds from the discourses of the Fathers, and, by an unassuming and humble delivery, spread them in the way of God. V. Bede. — Let us strew the way of life, and cut branches from the trees, by imitating the example of the saints. For the saints are the trees, from which we cut down branches, when we imitate their virtues. Theophylactus. — The just shall flourish like the palm-tree, (Ps. xci.) confirmed in their roots, and extensive in their fruit and flowers, being the sweet odour of Christ. 2 Cor. ii. 15.
• Ver. 9. They that went before, were the prophets; and they that come after, are the apostles. S. Jerom. — All these voluntary offerings were grateful to our divine Saviour; so are the like offerings made to him in the blessed sacrament. B.
• Ver. 10. They call the kingdom of Christ the kingdom of David, because Christ was descended of the family of David. David is likewise interpreted, strong of hand; but who is strong of hand but the Lord, whose hand has wrought so many and such miracles? Theophy. — How great is the similarity of this sentence with that delivered by the angel Gabriel, when he addressed the blessed Virgin Mary: “the Lord God will give to Him the seat of David, his father.” Ven. Bede. — “In the highest.” By this is meant, that the just shall be built upon the ruins of the angels; and, that the inhabitants of the earth shall obtain salvation. S. Jerom. — The literal meaning is: blessed be the kingdom of our father, David, which he sees arrive in the person of his Son: Hosanna, glory and salvation to this Son so long expected, so ardently desired: peace and salvation, and glory be given to Him, by the great Lord and God, who dwelleth in the highest heaven. S. Mat. xxi. 9. S. Luke xix. 38.

Haydock Commentary John 12:12-16

• Nothing from Haydock so we go to Catena Aurea

Catena Aurea John 12:12-16
From Catechetics Online

• CHRYS. The Law enjoined, that on the tenth day of the first month a lamb or a kid should be shut up in the house, and be kept to the fourteenth day of the same month, on the evening of which day it was sacrificed. In accordance with this law, the Elect Lamb, the Lamb without spot, when He went up to Jerusalem to be immolated for the sanctification of the people, went up five days before, i.e. on the tenth day.
• AUG. See how great was the fruit of His preaching and how large a flock of the lost sheep of the house of Israel heard the voice of their Shepherd: On the next day many people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, tookbranches of palm trees. The branches of palms are songs of praise, for the victory which our Lord was about to obtain by Hisdeath over death, and His triumph over the devil, the prince of death, by the trophy of the cross.
• CHRYS. They showed now at last that they thought Him greater than a prophet: And went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel, that comes in the name of the Lord.
• AUG. Hosanna is a simple exclamation, rather indicating some excitement of the mind, than having any particular meaning; like many interjections that we have in Latin.
• BEDE. It is a compound of two words; Hosi is shortened into save; Anna a mere exclamation, complete. Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord here is the name of God the Father; though we may understand it as His own name; inasmuch as He also is the Lord. But the former sense agrees better with the text above, I am come in My Father’s name. He does not lose His divinity, when He teaches us humility.
• CHRYS. This is what more than anything made men believe in Christ, viz. the assurance, that He was not opposed to God, that He came from the Father. The words show us the divinity of Christ. Hosanna is, Save us; and salvation in Scripture is attributed to God alone. And comes, it is said, not is brought: the former befits a lord, the latter a servant. In the name of the Lord, goes to prove the same thing. He does not come in the name of a servant, but in the name of the Lord.
• AUG. It were a small thing to the King eternal to be made a human king. Christ was not the King of Israel, to exact tribute, and command armies, but to direct souls, and bring them to the kingdom of heaven. For Christ then to be King of Israel, w as a condescension, not an elevation, a sign of His pity, not an increase of His power. For He who was as called on earth the King of the Jews, is in heaven the King of Angels.
• THEOPHYL. The Jews, when they called Him King of Israel, dreamed of an earthly king. They expected a king to arise, of more than human greatness, who would deliver them from the government of the Romans. But how did our Lord come? The next words tell us; And Jesus when He had found a. young ass, sat thereon.
• AUG. John relates the matter briefly, the other Evangelists are more full. The ass, we read in them, was the foal of an ass on which no man had sat: i.e. the Gentile world, who had not received our Lord. The other ass, which was brought, (not the foal, for there were two,) is the believing Jew.
• CHRYS. He did this prophetically, to figure the unclean Gentiles being brought into subjection to the Gospel; and also as a fulfillment of prophecy.
• AUG. This act of our Lord’s is pointed to in the Prophets, though the malignant rulers of the Jews did not see in it any fulfillment of prophecy: As it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Sion, behold your King comes sitting on an ass’s colt.” Yea, in that nation though reprobate, though blind, there remained still the daughter of Sion; even Jerusalem. To her it is said, Fear not, acknowledge Him whom you praise, and tremble not when He suffers. That blood it is which shall wipe away your sins, and redeem your life
• CHRYS. Or thus: Whereas they had had wicked kings, who had subjected them to wars, He said to them, Trust Me, I am not such as they, but gentle and mild: which He showed by the manner of His entrance. For He did not enter at the head of an army, but simply riding on an ass. And observe the philosophy of the Evangelist, who is not ashamed of confessing his ignorance at the time of what these things meant:These things understood not the disciple at the first, but when Jesus was glorified.
• AUG. i.e. When He showed the power of His resurrection, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him, i.e. those things that were written of Him.
• CHRYS. Our Lord had not then revealed these things to them. Indeed it would have been a scandal to them had they known Him to be King at the time of His sufferings. Nor would they have understood the nature of His kingdom, but have mistaken it for a temporal one.

Sunday Bible Readings April 5 2009 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion At the Mass

April 5 2009 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion At the Mass
Click here for Readings at the Procession with Palms

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/040509.shtml

There is a lot to study here.

Isaiah 50:4-7
Douay-Rheims Challoner

The Lord hath given me a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary: he wakeneth in the morning, in the morning he wakeneth my ear, that I may hear him as a master. The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded: therefore have I set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded.

Responsorial Psalm 21:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 (Ps 22 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn:
they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.
He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him:
let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him.
For many dogs have encompassed me:
the council of the malignant hath besieged me.
They have dug my hands and feet.
They have numbered all my bones.
And they have looked and stared upon me.
They parted my garments amongst them;
and upon my vesture they cast lots.
But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me;
look towards my defence.
I will declare thy name to my brethren:
in the midst of the church will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise him:
all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him.

Philippians 2:6-11
Haydock New Testament

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery, to be himself equal to God: But debased himself, taking the form of a servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in shape found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name: That in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 14:1—15:47 or 15:1-39 (Entire Passage Here)
Haydock New Testament

NOW the feast of the Pasch, and of the azymes, was after two days: and the chief priests, and the Scribes, sought how they might by craft lay hold on him, and kill him. But they said:

Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people.

And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon, the leper, and was at meat; there came a woman, having an alabaster-box of ointment of precious spikenard, and breaking the alabaster-box, she poured it out upon his head. Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said:

Why was this waste of the ointment made? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor.

And they murmured against her. But Jesus said:

Let her alone; why do you molest her? She hath wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you; and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always. What she had she hath done: she is come beforehand to anoint my body for the burial. Amen, I say to you, wheresoever’s this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them. They hearing it, were glad: and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Now, on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Pasch, the disciples say to him:

Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the Pasch?

And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith to them:

Go ye into the city: and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; And wheresoever’s he shall go in, say to the master of the house: The master saith, Where is my refectory: where I may eat the Pasch with my disciples? And he will shew you a large dining-room, furnished: and there prepare ye for us.

And his disciples went their way, and came into the city: and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the Pasch. And when evening was come, he cometh with the twelve. And when they were at table, and eating, Jesus saith:

Amen, I say to you, that one of you who eateth with me, shall betray me.

But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one:

Is it I?

He said to them:

One of the twelve who dippeth his hand in the dish with me. And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but wo to that man, by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him if that man had not been born.

And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessing broke, and gave to them, and said:

Take ye, This is my body.

And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them:

This is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many. Amen, I say unto you, that I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith to them:

You will all be scandalized in me this night: for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed; But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter saith to him:

Although all shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I.

And Jesus saith to him:

Amen, I 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 also said they all.

And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And he saith to his disciples:

Sit you here while I pray.

And he taketh Peter, and James, and John, with him; and he began to fear, and to be heavy. And he saith to them:

My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here and watch.

And when he had gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground: and he prayed, that, if it could be, the hour might pass from him: And he said:

Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; take away this chalice from me: but not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter:

Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. And when he returned, he found them again asleep, (for their eyes were heavy) and they knew not what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith to them:

Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up: let us go. Behold, he that will betray me, is at hand.

And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude, with swords and staves, from the chief priests, and the Scribes, and the ancients. And he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying:

Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hold on him, and lead him away cautiously.

And when he was come, immediately going up to him, he saith:

Hail, Rabbi: and he kissed him.

But they laid hands on him, and held him. And one of them that stood by drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answering, said to them:

are you come out as against a robber with swords and staves to apprehend me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me. But, that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.

Then his disciples leaving him, all fled away. And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body: and they laid hold on him. But he casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked. And they brought Jesus to the high priest: and all the priests, and the Scribes, and the ancients, assembled together. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants at the fire, and warmed himself. And the chief priests, and all the council, sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death; and they found none. For many bore false witness against him, and their evidence did not agree. And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying:

We heard him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another, not made with hands.

And their witness did not agree. And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying:

Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to they charge by these men?

But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him:

Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed God?

And Jesus said to him:

I am: And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rending his garments, saith:

What need we any farther witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What think you?

They all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him:

Prophesy:

and the servants struck him with the palms of their hands.

Now, when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maid-servants of the high priest: And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him, she saith:

Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying:

I neither know nor understand what thou sayest.

And he went forth before the court, and the cock crew. And again a maid-servant seeing him, began to say to the standers-by:

This is one of them.

But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by, said again to Peter:

Surely thou art one of them: for thou art also a Galilean.

But he began to curse and to swear:

I know not this man of whom you speak.

And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him:

Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And he began to weep.

AND straightway in the morning the chief priests, holding a consultation with the ancients, and the Scribes, and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him:

Art thou the king of the Jews:

But he answering, saith to him:

Thou sayest it.

And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying:

Answerest thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse thee.

But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered. Now on the festival-day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do as he had always done to them. And Pilate answered them, and said:

Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews?

For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up through envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them:

What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews?

But they cried out:

Crucify him.

And Pilate saith to them:

Why, what evil hath he done?

But they cried out the more:

Crucify him.

So Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him into the court of the palace, and they call together the whole band. And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him:

Hail, king of the Jews!

And they struck his head with a reed: And they did spit on him, and bowing their knees, they worshipped him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him. And they forced one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander, and of Rufus, to take up his cross. And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted, is, The place of Calvary. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: and he took it not.

And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the inscription of his cause was written over:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith: And with the wicked he was reputed. And they that passed by, blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying:

Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again: Save thyself, coming down from the cross.

In like manner also the chief priests, with the Scribes, mocking, said one to another:

He saved others, himself he cannot save. Let Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.

And they that were crucified with him, reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth, until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying:

Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And some of the standers-by hearing, said:

Behold, he calleth Elias.

And one running, and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying:

Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down.

And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost.

Kneel here and pause.

And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over-against him, seeing, that crying out in this manner, he had given up the ghost, said:

Indeed this man was the Son of God.

And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene; and Mary, the mother of James the less, and of Joseph; and Salome; Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem. And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath), Joseph, of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead.

And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre, which was hewed out of a rock, and he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre. And Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.

Haydock Commentary Isaias 50:4-7
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 4. Weary. Isaias speaks in the name of Christ, whose words carried conviction and comfort along with them. Jo. vi. 69. and vii. 46. C. — Wakeneth. Lit. “lifteth up.” Cynthius âurem—Vellit. Ec. vi. — Hear, or obey. H. — Christ preached more powerfully than Isaias, and continues to do so by his pastors. S. Jer. W.
• Ver. 6. Spit. The greatest indignity. Job xxx. 10. Deut. xxv. 9. Yet this was the treatment of our Saviour. Lu. xviii. 31. Mat. xxvi. 67. C. — “The great Grotius, (I wish he were great in explaining the prophets)” applies this to Jeremias. Houbigant.
• Ver. 7. Rock. Christ heard the accusations of his enemies unmoved, as the had not been afraid to blame the conduct of the Pharisees.

Haydock Commentary Philippians 2:6-11

• Ver. 6. Who being in the form[1] of God, (that is truly, properly, and essentially God from eternity, as the ancient Fathers here observed against the Arians) taking the form of a servant, (i.e. taking upon him our human nature) became truly a man, and as man the servant of God, but remaining always God as before, thought it not robbery, no injury to his eternal Father, to be equal, to be esteemed, and to declare himself equal to God, to be one thing with him: as on divers occasions he taught the people, as we have observed in the notes on S. John’s gospel, &c. Wi.
• Ver. 7. But debased himself: divested himself of all the marks of greatness, for the love of mankind. The Greek text signifies, he made himself void;[2] on which account Dr. Wells, instead of made himself of no reputation, as in the Prot. translation, has changed it into emptied himself; not but that the true Son of God must always remain truly God, as well as by his incarnation truly man, but that in him as man appeared no marks of his divine power and greatness. — Made to the likeness[3] of men, not only as to an exterior likeness and appearance, but at the same time truly man by uniting his divine person to the nature of man. — In shape[4] (or habit) found as a man: not clothed exteriorly only, as a man is clothed with a garment or coat, but found both as to shape and nature a man; and, as S. Chrys. says, with the appearance of a sinful man, if we consider him persecuted by the Jews, and nailed to an infamous cross. Wi.
• Ver. 9. God . . . hath given him a name, &c. The name or word Jesus represents the dignity of him who is signified by the name, and who is exalted even as man, above all creatures in heaven, earth, and hell; all which creatures either piously reverence him, or are made subject to him against their will, that every tongue may confess our Lord Jesus to be now, and to have been always, in the glory of his Father, equal to him in substance and in all perfections. Wi.
• Ver. 10. If we shew respect when the name of our sovereign is mentioned, may we not express our respect also at the name of Jesus; and if to his name, why not to his cross as well as to the throne of the king?

Haydock Commentary Mark 14:1—15:47

• Ver. 1. Though the evangelists generally use the words pasch and azymes promiscuously, yet S. Mark distinguishes them, being really different. The pasch is used for the 14th day of the moon of the first month. But the 15th day, on which they departed out of Egypt, was the feast of the azymes, or the unleavened bread; which continued seven days, till the 21st day of the moon inclusively. Ven. Bede. — Pasch is also used for the sabbath day within the seven days of the solemnity; (Jo. xix. 14.) and also for all the sacrifices made during the seven days of the feast.
• Ver. 2. They were not so much afraid of the sedition itself, as of the people delivering Christ out of their hands. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 3. Of precious[1] spikenard. This was a perfume extracted and distilled from the leaves, tops, or stalks, of the plant or herb called nard. It was the custom of the eastern people to pour such precious perfumes on their own heads, or on the heads of their guests whom they had a mind to honour. Wi. — this happened six days previous to the pasch. The woman here mentioned was Mary, sister of Lazarus. John xii. 3.
• Ver. 4. It was chiefly Judas Iscariot that murmured here. S. John only mentions him; perhaps some others had been excited to complain, by the traitor. This is certain, that if any concurred in murmuring with Judas, they afterwards repented, on hearing the answer given immediately by our Saviour. D. Dionys.
• Ver. 7. Christ here answers the apostles, by informing them that he should not always be with them, but would shortly leave them, as to his corporal presence, though spiritually will remain with them, and their successors, to the end of time. Mat. xxviii. — Behold I am, &c. He will not always be with them, so as to want their services. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 10. Many of the present day shudder at the thought of the horrid and inexpressible crime of Judas, in betraying his Master, his Lord, and his God, and yet do not take care to avoid the like wickedness themselves; for, as often as for a little gain they neglect the duties of faith and charity, they become traitors to God, who is charity and faith. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 12. Whither wilt thou, &c. By these words the disciples teach us to direct our every step according to the will of God; therefore does their Lord tell them, with whom he would eat the pasch, to go two of them into the city. S. Jerom.
• Ver. 14. Were is my refectory:[2] where I may eat the pasch, or the paschal supper of the lamb sacrificed? Lit. in the Lat. where is my eating, or my refection? but it is generally agreed that here is meant a place to eat in. Wi.
• This is my Body.
• Ver. 22. This which I now give, and which you now receive; for the bread is not the figure of Christ, but is changed into the true body of Christ; and he himself says, The bread, which I will give you, is my flesh. S. John vi. But the flesh of Christ is not seen, on account of our infirmity; for if we were allowed to see with our eyes the flesh and blood of Jesus, we should not date to approach the blessed sacrament. Our Lord therefore condescending to our weakness, preserves the outward species of bread and wine, but changes the bread and wine into the reality of flesh and blood. Theophy. — S. Chrysostom, in his thirtieth sermon on the treason of Judas, says: “Christ is also now present to adorn our table, (altar) the same that was present to adorn that table. For it is not man that causes the elements to become the body and blood of Christ, but the very Christ, the same that was crucified for us: oude gar anqrwpoV estin o koiwn ta prokeimena ginesqai swma kai aima cristou all autoV o staurwqeiV uper hmwn cristoV. The priest stand his vicegerent, and pronounces the words, but the power and grace is of God. He says, this is my body, and the word changes the elements: and as the sentence ‘increase and multiply, and fill the earth, was spoken once, but still imparts fecundity to human nature throughout all time: so these words (of consecration) once spoken, constitute an absolute, perfect sacrifice upon every altar of the Church from that day to this, yea even to the time when Christ shall come again at the last day.” Schma plhrwn esthken o iereuV, ta rhmata fqeggomenoV ekeina h de dunamiV, kai h cariV tou qeou esti. touto mou esti to swma, fhsi touto to rhma metarruqmizei ta prokeimena. Kai kaqaper h fwnh ekeinh h legousa ²auxanesqe, kai plhqunesqe, kai plhrwsate thn ghn,² erreqh men apax, dia pantoV de tou cronou ginetai ergw endunamousa thn fusin thn hmeteran proV paidopoiian. outw kai h fwnh auth apax lecqeisa, kaq ekasthn trapezan en taiV ekklhsiaiV, ex ekeinou mecri shmeron, kai mecri thV autou parousiaV, thn qusian aphrtismenhn ergazetai. S. Chrysostom, Serm. xxx, on the treachery of Judas.
• These words are so plain, that it is difficult to imagine others more explicit. Their force and import will however appear in a still stronger light, if we consider the formal promise Christ had made to his apostles, as related by S. John, that he would give them his flesh to eat, that same flesh he was to deliver up for the life of the world. He on that occasion confirmed with remarkable emphasis of expression the reality of this manducation, assuring them that his flesh was meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed; and when some of the disciples were shocked at such a proposal, he still insisted that unless they eat his flesh, they should have no life in them. The possibility of it he evinced from his divine power, to be exemplified in his miraculous ascension; the necessity of it he established, by permitting those to abandon him who refused to believe it; and the belief of it he enforced on the minds of his disciples, from the consideration that he, their teacher, was the Son of God, and the author of their eternal salvation. The apostles were deeply impressed with these thoughts, previously to the institution of the holy Eucharist; consequently when they beheld Jesus Christ, just before his death, taking bread into his sacred hands; when after blessing it with solemnity, they heard him say, Take, eat; this is my body, which shall be given for you; they must necessarily have concluded, that it was truly his body, which he now gave them to eat, according to his former promise. And though their reason or senses might have started difficulties, yet all these were obviated by their belief of his being God, and consequently able to effect whatever he pleased, and to make good whatever he said. — Moreover, if we consult tradition, we shall find that the Greek, as well as the Latin Church, has uniformly declared in favour of the literal sense of Christ’s words, as may be seen at large in all Catholic controvertists. The learned author of the Perpetuité de la Foi, and his continuator, Renaudot, in the two additional quarto volumes, have invincibly demonstrated, that the belief of all the Oriental Christians perfectly coincides with that of the Catholic Church, respecting the real presence. Dr. Philip Nicolai, though a Protestant, candidly acknowledges, in his first book of the Kingdom of Christ, p. 22, “that not only the churches of the Greek, but also the Russians, the Georgians, the Armenians, the Judæans, and the Ethiopians, as many of them as believe in Christ, hold the true and real presence of the body and blood of our Lord.” This general agreement amongst the many Churches of the Christian world, affords the strongest evidence against Secker and others, who pretend that the doctrine of the real presence is a mere innovation; which was not started till 700 years after Christ’s death. For, how will their supposition accord with the belief of the Nestorians and Euthychians, who were separated from the Church of Rome long before that period, and who were found to agree exactly with Catholics concerning this important tenent? — See this point clearly given in Rutter’s Evangelical Harmony.
• This is my Blood.
• Ver. 24. Which shall be shed. With words so explicit, with the unanimous agreement of the Eastern and Western Churches, how can any Dissenters bring themselves to believe that there is nothing more designed, or given, than a memorial of Christ’s passion and death? Catholics, who believe in the real presence, do certainly renew in themselves the remembrance of our Saviour’s death and passion, with more lively sentiments of devotion than they who believe it to be mere bread and wine. The outward forms of bread and wine, which remain in the Eucharist, are chiefly designed to signify or represent to us three things; viz. 1. The passion of Christ, of which they are the remembrance; 2. the body and blood of Christ, really, though sacramentally present, of which they are the veil; and 3. everlasting life, of which they are the pledge. — N. B. In speaking of the real presence in the Eucharist, Catholics hold that Christ is corporally and substantially present, but not carnally; i.e. not in that gross, natural, and sensible manner, in which or separated brethren so frequently misrepresent our doctrine.
• Ver. 25. This vine represents the Synagogue, according to Isaias. The vine, or vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. Of this vine Christ drank for some time; and though many of the branches were become useless, there were yet many that still brought forth fruit. But Christ now going to his passion, declares that it would be no longer acceptable to him, since the figures were not to pass into reality. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 26. Jesus Christ is seized upon Mount Olivet, whence he ascended into heaven; that we might know that the place on earth where we watch and pray, where we suffer chains without resistance, is the place whence we are to ascend into heaven. S. Jerom.
• Ver. 27. Christ permitted his disciples to fall, that they might learn not to trust in themselves. To strengthen his prediction, he adduces the testimony of Zacharias the prophet, (xiii. 7.) I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. Theophy. . . . This text is expressed in other words, being there spoken in the person of the prophet: Strike the pastor, and the sheep shall be dispersed. Ven. Bede. — By these words, the prophet prays for the passion of the Lord. The Almighty Father answers his prayer: I will strike the shepherd. The Son is sent by the Father, and is stricken by becoming incarnate and suffering death. S. Jerom.
• Ver. 37. You who were ready to die for me, cannot watch with me! We are here taught a great duty of a Christian life, and that is, to beg of God, that he would give us strength to observe and follow the motions and inspirations of his Holy Spirit, and never to resist the calls of heaven.
• Ver. 45. Our Lord received the kiss of the traitor, that he might not appear to avoid being delivered up; and at the same time he fulfilled that of the Psalmist, with those who hated peace, I was peaceful. Ps. cxix. 7.
• Ver. 46. Here is Joseph betrayed and sold by his brethren, and pierced in his soul with a sword. S. Jerom.
• Ver. 47. This was Peter, as we learn from S. John xviii. 10. He is here actuated with his usual ardent zeal, calling to mind the example of Phinees, who by executing justice on the wicked, merited the reward of justice, and a continual priesthood. Ven. Bede. — S. Mark conceals his master’s name, lest he should seem to be publishing the ardour of his zeal for Christ. Theophy.
• Ver. 51. This probably was the owner, or the son of the owner of the garden, who hearing the tumult came to see what was the cause. It must have been a young man from the Greek word neaniskoV. T.
• Ver. 55. Though the law prescribed there should be only one high priest, yet at this time there were many, being appointed yearly by the Roman governor; and those are here called chief priests who had once been invested with the dignity of high priest, but were at that time out of office. Theophy.
• Ver. 56. Their evidence did not agree. Others translate, their testimonies were not sufficient; that is, so as to amount to a crime that made him guilty of death. The Greek, as well as the Latin text, may be taken in either sense. The high priest, vexed at this, stood up, and asked him questions, hoping to make him appear guilty by his own confession. Wi. — This latter sense is given to the same expression, v. 59. infra.
• Ver. 57. Thus has iniquity lied to itself, (Ps. xxvi.) as formerly in the case of the wife of Putiphar against Joseph, (Gen.s xxix.) and the elders against Susanna. Dan. S. Jerom.
• Ver. 61. Our Redeemer was silent, because he knew they would not attend to his words; therefore does he say in S. Luke, If I shall tell you, you will not believe me. Theophy.
• Ver. 63. Caiphas, in order to excite their hatred against what was said, rent his garments, and thus deprived himself of the priestly dignity, by transgressing the precept; which, speaking of the high priest says: He shall not uncover his head, and his garments he shall not rend. Lev. xxi. 10. S. Leo the Great. — By the high priest rending his garments he shews, that the Jewish priesthood, on account of their crimes, was now dissolved; whereas the tunic of Christ, by which the one true Catholic Church is prefigured, was seamless, and not to be divided. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 71. In this one apostle, Peter, the first and chief in the order of apostles, in whom the Church was figured, both sorts were to be signified, viz. the strong and the weak, because the Church is not without both. S. Austin, Serm. xiii. de verb. Do. — Again, our Saviour would shew by the example of the chief apostle, that no man ought to presume of himself, when even S. Peter was not secure and immoveable. Idem. tract. lxvi. in Evan. Joan. and S. Leo. serm. ix. de Pass. Do.
• ______End of Chapter 14 Notes on Commentary______
• [1] V. 3. Unguenti nardi spicati pretiosi, murou nardou pistikhV polutelouV. Both here in S. Mark, and also in S. John, C. xii. 3. we read pistikhV, which by the Greek agees with nard, and not with ointment. The interpreters are much divided about the signification of the word pistikhV: some late writers would needs have pistikhV to come from piw or pinw, and to signify liquid, but this does not seem well grounded. Others, with S. Aug. would have pistikhV to be taken from the name of some country or place from whence this precious nard was brought. The most common opinion seems that of S. Hierom, with whom agree Theophylactus, and Euthymius, that pistika, derived from pistiV, signifies true and genuine nard, and so of the greatest price and value.
• [2] V. 14. Ubi est refectio mea, ubi pascha manducem? pou esti to kataluma, opou pasca . . fagw.
• [3] V. 56. Convenientia testimonia non erant. isai ai marturiai ouk hsan. The word isai may either signify that they did not agree together, or that they were not sufficient to get him condemned, which latter is the opinion of Erasmus, who translates, non erant idonea.
• MARK 15
• CHAPTER XV.
• Ver. 1. It was customary with the Jews to bind and deliver over to the Roman governors those whom they had condemned in their own councils; but we must not suppose that this was the first time they bound Jesus; for S. John informs us, when first they apprehended him, they put manacles upon him. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 2. It may be remarked upon this answer of our Lord, that he was not unwilling to answer the questions put to him by the governor, who condemned him contrary to his inclination, though he would not condescend to return an answer to the questions of the high priests, as they were not worthy of the favour. Theophy.
• Ver. 6. This practice of releasing to the people any prisoner they might think proper, was instituted in order to captivate the will of the people; which was most commonly done on the festival day, when the Jews were assembled from the different provinces to Jerusalem. But that the blindness and malice of this people might be more apparent, the evangelist here describes the atrocious wickedness of the man they preferred to the Son of God. Gloss.
• Ver. 10. Since envy put to death the Author of life, Jesus Christ, how watchful should all Christians be against every degree of that sin. S. Chrysos. hom. xl. in Matt.
• Ver. 21. S. Jerom thinks Alexander and Rufus were disciples of Christ, and on this account the name of their father is here expressed. S. Jerom. in D. Diony.
• Ver. 23. S. Matt. says mixed with gall; for gall is here used for bitterness, and wine that has myrrh in it is a very strong bitter; although, perhaps, both gall and myrrh might have been ingredients to increase the bitterness. S. Austin. — Or, in the confusion that was occasioned, some might have offered him one thing, some another; one person giving vinegar and gall, another wine mixed with myrrh. Theophy. — Wine mingled with myrrh may perhaps be used for vinegar. S. Jer. — This was given to criminals, to lessen their torments. Our Lord was pleased to taste the bitterness, but he would not permit the relief which the admittance of the same into his stomach might have afforded. Thus so were the scriptures fulfilled: they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Ps. lxviii. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 25. S. Mark is the only evangelist who says it was the third hour. S. John says it was the sixth. But these may easily be reconciled by supposing that he was crucified towards the end of the third hour, that is, about eleven of the clock, or half-past eleven, which being near the sixth hour, or twelve, the evangelist might say it was the sixth hour. Nic. de Lyra. — The third hour. The ancient account divided the day into four parts, which were named from the hour from which they began: the first, third, sixth, and ninth hour. Our Lord was crucified a little before noon; before the third hour had quite expired; but when the sixth hour was near at hand. Ch.
• Ver. 26. It was written on a board, or rather on parchment fixed to a board, (as Leipsius informs us) expressing the cause why he was crucified, viz. because he was the King of the Jews. And, indeed, Pilate himself was fully persuaded that he was the Messias promised to the Jews: and though he knew him to be innocent, he connived the more at his death through fear lest he might attempt something against the Roman empire, if he were permitted to continue. At the same time, by putting up his cause, he wished to revenge himself of the Jews, for their importunity and obstinacy in compelling him, partly against his will, to condemn him to death. For what could be more ignominious to the Jews than to see their king crucified at their own request, and for no other reason than because he was their king, and they did not wish him to reign over them. Thus did they receive the king for whose coming they had so long sighed, and from whom they had expected delivery from the Roman yoke, and the subjugation of the whole world to their own power. Sirinus.
• Ver. 28. This text of Isaias regards the Messias according to the very letter. V.
• Ver. 32. Afterwards they saw Him arising out of the sepulchre whom they thought unable to descend from the cross. Where, O Jew, is thy infidelity? I ask you yourselves. You shall be your own judges. How much more astonishing is it to be able, when dead, to rise again, than, when living, to descend from the cross? You desired a small exertion of power, and a much greater is here performed: but still your infidelity would not be cured. All have turned out of the way, all have become useless. S. Jer. — If the Scribes and Pharisees did not believe in Christ when he rose from the dead, neither would they have believed in him had he left the cross. Though the scripture had foretold in many places that he was to suffer, Ps. xxi, They have dug my hands and feet; and Ps. xcv, They shall look upon him whom they have pierced; He shall reign from the tree: (and which St. Justin assures us the Jews had erased from the psalm) yet were can the Jews point out that it was foretold he should descend from the cross? Tir.
• Ver. 39. The centurion considered the crying out of our Saviour as an effect not of human, but divine power, since it generally happens that people at the moment the soul quits the body are reduced to so debilitated a state, that they are scarce able to utter the least word. Although Jesus was truly the natural, not the adoptive, Son of God, it is nevertheless probable that the centurion, being a Gentile, did not speak in this manner as if he knew Jesus to be the natural Son of God. He did not know that the Son of God was really true God, equal to the Father, but called him Son of God, as if adopted, on account of his extraordinary sanctity; or, perhaps, he might have called him the Son of God, in order to oppose the Jews, who called our Saviour a blasphemer, because he made himself the Son of God. D. Diony.
• Ver. 42. Ven. Bede thinks the word parasceve is derived from the Greek paraskeue, signifying a preparation. It was the day before the sabbath, on which the Jews were accustomed to prepare two meals, one for the parasceve, and another for the sabbath; the Jews not being allowed to dress any meat on the latter day, on account of its great solemnity. The Jews learnt this word of the Greeks, who lived among them in Jerusalem. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 43. A noble Decurion. The Decurions among the Romans were first called so as having ten men under them, as the centurions were over a hundred. But some of the Decurions were also Counsellors in towns, as is here signified by the Greek word BouleuthV. Wi.
• Ver. 46. According to the description of those that have seen it, it is a kind of small chamber, the height of which, from top to bottom, is eight feet and an inch, its length six feet and one inch, and its breadth fifteen feet ten inches. Its entrance, or vestibule, which looks towards the east, is but four feet high, and two feet four inches wide. The place within, where our Lord’s body was laid, takes up a whole side of the cave. The stone which was laid to secure the door of the sepulchre is still remaining, and according to Mr. Maundrell, is two yards and a quarter long, one broad, and one thick: put the particular parts of it are not visible, being all incrusted over with white marble, except in five or six little places, where it is left bare to receive the kisses and other devotions of pilgrims. Mark Luke’s Voyage to Asia Minor, Vol. II. p. 12. and Maundrell’s Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem.