ACC ~ Mark 14 v66 - 72

OVERVIEW:

Peter, who had shuddered at the voice of a maid, would later be made courageous before princes by the power of the resurrected Lord (JEROME). With his sword Peter had resisted captors, but only with his mouth could he withstand the judgment of the lowly maidservant. This passage reinforces the reasons Mark was designated as Peter’s disciple—because he more fully disclosed the faults and repentance of Peter (CHRYSOSTOM). That the disciples had an exceptionally high standard of truth telling is evident from their reporting their own behavior, warts and all (EUSEBIUS). As the penitent David retained his kingship after sinning, so did the penitent Peter remain an apostle (AUGUSTINE). In the denial of Peter the prophecy of Psalm 88:8 was being fulfilled (JEROME). The denial led to an oath that led to cursing (ORIGEN).

14:68 | I Neither Know nor Understand What You Mean

THE CRINGING DENIER

CHRYSOSTOM: O what strange and remarkable turns occur in these ironic events! When Peter merely saw his master seized, he was so ardent as both to draw his sword and to whack off the servant’s ear! [1] But—alas, then when it might have been even more plausible for him to be even more indignant, and to be inflamed and to burn, upon hearing such revilings against his Lord, then he became a cringing denier … and that in the presence of a lowly and diminutive maidservant, and not only once but a second and third time. [2] THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 85.1. [3]

[1] Cf. Jn 18:10.

[2] Cf. Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:55-60; Jn 18:17-27.

[3] NPNF 1 10:507; TLG 2062.030, 58.758.32-37, 40-42.

14:70 | But Again He Denied It

PSALM 88 RECALLED

JEROME: “You have taken my friends away from me.” [1] In the passion of the cross, even my apostles fled from me; so completely did they shun me that Peter himself said: “I do not know this man.” [2] HOMILIES OF SAINT JEROME, HOMILY 65. [3]

[1] Ps 88:8 (87:9 LXX); 88:18.

[2] Mt 26:72; Lk 22:57.

[3] Cetedoc 0593, 87.79; GMI 401*.

14:71 | He Began to Invoke a Curse on Himself and to Swear

THE MOMENTUM OF CURSING

ORIGEN: The second time he denied not simply but with an oath, the third time also with cursing. By this we are instructed never to promise without consideration anything above our human ability. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 86. [1]

[1] PG 13:1738; AEG 5:271.

14:72a | The Cock Crowed a Second Time

INTERNAL EVIDENCE OF THE RELIABILITY OF MARK’S ACCOUNT

EUSEBIUS: Mark writes these things, and through him Peter bears witness, for the whole of Mark is said to be a record of Peter’s teaching. Note how scrupulously the disciples refused to record those things that might have given the impression of their fame. Note how they handed down in writing numerous charges against themselves to unforgetting ages, and accusations of sins, which no one in later years would ever have known about unless hearing it from their own voice. By thus honestly reporting their own faults, it is reasonable to view them as relatively void of false speaking and egoism. This habit gives plain and clear proof of their truth-loving disposition. As for such critics who imagine they invented and lied, and try to slander them as deceivers, should they not to be regarded as absurd? Aren’t they thereby being convicted as friends of envy and malice, and foes of truth itself? For have they not taken those who have exhibited in their own words good proof of their integrity, and their straightforward and sincere character, and suggested that they are rascals and clever sophists who invent what never took place, and ascribe gratuitously to their own master what he never did? This is why I think it has been rightly said that “One must put complete confidence in the disciples of Jesus, or none at all.” And if we are to distrust them, we must also distrust all writers on the same principle, any who at any time have compiled, either in Greece or anywhere, lives and histories and records of persons of their own times, celebrating their noble achievements. Otherwise we would be considering it reasonable to believe others, and to disbelieve the evangelists only. And this would be clearly invidious. How could it be that these supposed liars would falsify the account of his death? What would be their motive in writing down deeds he never did? They candidly report his be-trayal by one of his disciples, [1] explicit accusations by dubious witnesses, [2] insults and blows to his face, [3] the scourging of his back, the crown of acanthus set on his head in a demeaning way, [4] and finally his carrying of his own cross, and his being nailed to it! [5] They report his hands and feet being pierced, [6] his being given vinegar to drink, struck on the cheek with a reed, and reviled by those who looked upon him. [7] Were these things and all else like them in the Gospels simply invented out of whole cloth by the disciples? Highly unlikely. Or must we doubt only the more glorious and lofty parts of the narrative? How could they do so and doubt these candid reports of ignominious actions? How could they reasonably support such an unreasonable conclusion—that the same witnesses spoke the truth and at the same time lied. That would be to predict contraries about the same people at the same time. How then are we to disprove their assertions? If it was their aim to deceive, and to adorn their master with false words, they would never have written these demeaning accounts of his pain and agony and that he was disturbed in spirit, that they themselves forsook him and fled, or that Peter the apostle and disciple who was chief of the apostles denied him three times, unless they had an extraordinarily high standard of truth-telling. PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5. [8]

[1] Cf. Mk 14:44-45.

[2] Cf. Mt 26:59-60; Mk 14:55-56.

[3] Cf. Mt 26:67; Mk 14:65.

[4] Cf. Mt 27:26-31; Mk 15:15-19.

[5] Cf. Mt 27:31-35; Mk 15:20-24; Lk 23:26-33; Jn 19:17-18.

[6] Cf. Jn 20:25-27.

[7] Cf. Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36; Lk 23:36; Jn 19:29.

[8] TLG 2018.005, 3.5.95.1-97.2; POG 1:140-41.

14:72b | And He Broke Down and Wept

ON NOT HIDING PETER’S FAULTS

CHRYSOSTOM: In this respect we most marvel at Mark, because not only did he refuse to hide Peter’s fault, but wrote the account of it in greater detail than the others. And it is for this very reason that he is called Peter’s disciple. [1] THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW 85.1. [2]

[1] Mk 14:66-72.

[2] NPNF 1 10:507*; TLG 2062.152, 58.758.56-59; cf. AEG 5:438.

THE WEEPING APOSTLE

AUGUSTINE: As holy David repented for his deadly crimes and still retained his kingship, [1] so the blessed Peter earnestly repented, having denied the Lord, and shed such bitter tears, yet remained an apostle. [2] LETTER 185, TO BONIFACE. [3]

[1] Cf. 2 Sam 12:1-20; 24:17.

[2] Cf. Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:55-62.

[3] Cetedoc 0262, 185.57.10.39.13; FC 30:184**.

LEARNING COMPASSION

GREGORY THE GREAT: And here we must ask ourselves, why did almighty God permit the one he had placed over the whole church to be frightened by the voice of a maidservant, and even to deny Christ himself? [1] This we know was a great dispensation of the divine mercy, so that he who was to be the shepherd of the church might learn through his own fall to have compassion on others. God therefore first shows him to himself, and then places him over others: to learn through his own weakness how to bear mercifully with the weakness of others. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 21. [2]

[1] Cf. Mk 14:66-72.

[2] Cetedoc 1711, 2.21.4.15; SSGF 2:243.