ACC ~ Mark 14 v19

TENDERNESS OF CONSCIENCE

ORIGEN: If the eleven apostles were of good conscience, having not in any way betrayed their teacher, why were they grieved, as though it might have been that he was speaking of one of them? I think that each of them knew from Jesus’ teaching that human freedom is infinitely changeable and may easily be turned toward evil. It may happen, in the struggle against principalities and powers and rulers of this world of darkness, that one may fall quite unexpectedly into evil, either being deceived or overcome by demonic powers. Thus, each disciple feared lest it might be he who was foreknown as betrayer. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 50. [1]

[1] PG 13:1730; AEG 5:236*. The disciples had by this time been prepared to be intensely self-critical amid the temptations of spiritual warfare.