John Damascene — Commentary on Scripture

Mark 7:4

And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

Pharisee is a name meaning “those who are set apart.” They followed a way of life which they regarded as most perfect. They esteemed their way as superior to others. They affirmed the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and holiness of life. They followed a rigorous way of life, practicing asceticism and sexual abstinence for periods of time and fasting twice a week. They ceremonially cleansed their pots and plates and cups, as did the scribes. They observed the paying of tithes, the offering of first fruits, and the recitation of many prayers.

Mark 7:24

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

His divine will was allpowerful, yet it was said that he was unable to conceal himself when he willed to. Why? It was while willing within the limits of his humanity that he was [voluntarily] subject to the limitations of the flesh. As a human he possessed the common human ability to will…. The sanctification of his will did not occur by circumventing his natural volition but by uniting his will with the divine and almighty will, as the will of God incarnate. Hence when he wished to be hid, he could not do so of himself, because it pleased God that the Word be revealed in himself as having the limitations of human willing.

Mark 12:25

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

The body of the Lord after the resurrection was such that it entered through the closed doors without difficulty, and needed neither food, nor sleep, nor drink. “For they shall be,” says the Lord, “like the angels of God,” and there shall no longer be marriage or the procreation of children.

Mark 14:21

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Knowledge is of what exists and foreknowledge is of what will surely exist in the future. For simple being comes first and then good or evil being. But if the very existence of those, who through the goodness of God are in the future to exist, were to be prevented by the fact that they were to become evil of their own choice, evil would have prevailed over the goodness of God. In this way God makes all his works good, but each becomes of its own choice good or evil. Although, then, the Lord said, “Good were it for that man that he had never been born,” he said it in condemnation not of his own creation but of the evil which his own creature had acquired by his own choice and through his own heedlessness.

Mark 14:22

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Human beings have a compound nature: body and spirit. So it is fitting that the new birth should correspond to that compound nature, and also that the food of faith be compound. We were therefore given a birth both by water and by the Spirit, that is, in holy baptism, and with it food that is the very bread of life, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven. For when he was about to take on himself a voluntary death for our sakes, on the night on which he gave himself up, he offered a new covenant to his holy disciples and apostles, and through them to all who believe on him. In an upper chamber, then, on holy and glorious Zion, after he had eaten the ancient Passoverwith his disciples and had fulfilled the ancient covenant, he washed his disciples’ feet in token of the holy baptism. Then having broken bread he gave it to them saying, “Take, eat, this is my body broken for you for the remission of sins.”

Mark 16:6

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

When we worship the likeness of the priceless and life-giving cross, we know that it is made out of a tree. We are not honoring the tree as such (God forbid), but the likeness as a symbol of Christ. For he said to his disciples, admonishing them, “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven,” meaning the cross. And so also the angel of the resurrection said to the woman, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified.” And the apostle said, “We preach Christ crucified.” For there are many named Jesus and many who may claim to be the Christ, but we worship the one crucified. He does not say pierced but crucified. It behooves us, then, to worship the sign of Christ. For wherever the sign may be, there also will he be. But it does not behoove us to worship the material of which the image of the cross is composed, even though it is gold or precious stones.

Matthew 1:25

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

But just as He who was conceived kept her who conceived still virgin, in like manner also He who was born preserved her virginity intact, only passing through her and keeping her closed. [Ezekiel 44:2] The conception, indeed, was through the sense of hearing, but the birth through the usual path by which children come, although some tell tales of His birth through the side of the Mother of God. For it was not impossible for Him to have come by this gate, without injuring her seal in anyway. The ever-virgin One thus remains even after the birth still virgin, having never at any time up till death consorted with a man. For although it is written, And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born Son [Matthew 1:25], yet note that he who is first-begotten is first-born even if he is only-begotten. For the word "first-born" means that he was born first but does not at all suggest the birth of others. And the word "till" signifies the limit of the appointed time but does not exclude the time thereafter. For the Lord says, And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the wor…

But just as He who was conceived kept her who conceived still virgin, in like manner also He who was born preserved her virginity intact, only passing through her and keeping her closed. [Ezekiel 44:2] The conception, indeed, was through the sense of hearing, but the birth through the usual path by which children come, although some tell tales of His birth through the side of the Mother of God. For it was not impossible for Him to have come by this gate, without injuring her seal in anyway.

The ever-virgin One thus remains even after the birth still virgin, having never at any time up till death consorted with a man. For although it is written, And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born Son [Matthew 1:25], yet note that he who is first-begotten is first-born even if he is only-begotten. For the word "first-born" means that he was born first but does not at all suggest the birth of others. And the word "till" signifies the limit of the appointed time but does not exclude the time thereafter. For the Lord says, And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world , not meaning thereby that He will be separated from us after the completion of the age. The divine apostle, indeed, says, And so shall we ever be with the Lord [1 Thessalonians 4:17], meaning after the general resurrection.

For could it be possible that she, who had borne God and from experience of the subsequent events had come to know the miracle, should receive the embrace of a man. God forbid!

Matthew 8:1-4

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

(De Fid. Orth. iii. 15.) For He was not only God, but man also, whence He wrought Divine wonders by touch and word; for as by an instrument so by His body the Divine acts were done.

Matthew 26:36-38

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

(de. Fid. Orth. iii. 24.) But seeing that prayer is the sending up the understanding to God, or the asking of God things fitting, how did the Lord pray? For His understanding needed not to be lifted up to God, having been once united hypostatically to God the Word. Neither could He need to ask of God things fitting, for the One Christ is both God and Man. But giving in Himself a pattern to us, He taught us to ask of God, and to lift up our minds to Him. As He took on Him our passions, that by triumphing over them Himself, He might give us also the victory over them, so now He prays to open to us the way to that lifting up to God, to fulfil for us all righteousness, to reconcile His Father to us, to pay honour to Him as the First Cause, and to show that He is not against God. (Fid. Orth. iii. 23.) Or otherwise; All things which have not yet been brought into existence by their Maker have a natural desire of existence, and naturally shun non-existence. God the Word then, having been made Man, had this desire, through which He desired food, drink, and sleep, by which life is supported…

(de. Fid. Orth. iii. 24.) But seeing that prayer is the sending up the understanding to God, or the asking of God things fitting, how did the Lord pray? For His understanding needed not to be lifted up to God, having been once united hypostatically to God the Word. Neither could He need to ask of God things fitting, for the One Christ is both God and Man. But giving in Himself a pattern to us, He taught us to ask of God, and to lift up our minds to Him. As He took on Him our passions, that by triumphing over them Himself, He might give us also the victory over them, so now He prays to open to us the way to that lifting up to God, to fulfil for us all righteousness, to reconcile His Father to us, to pay honour to Him as the First Cause, and to show that He is not against God.

(Fid. Orth. iii. 23.) Or otherwise; All things which have not yet been brought into existence by their Maker have a natural desire of existence, and naturally shun non-existence. God the Word then, having been made Man, had this desire, through which He desired food, drink, and sleep, by which life is supported, and naturally used them, and contrariwise shunned the things that are destructive of life. Hence in the season of His Passion which He endured voluntarily, He had the natural fear and sorrow for death. For there is a natural fear wherewith the soul shrinks from separation from the body, by reason of that close sympathy implanted from the first by the Maker of all things.

(Fid. Orth. iii. 20.) Wherefore the passions of our nature were in Christ both by nature and beyond nature. By nature, because He left His flesh to suffer the things incidental to it; beyond nature, because these natural emotions did not in Him precede the will. For in Christ nothing befel of compulsion, but all was voluntary; with His will He hungered, with His will He feared, or was sorrowful. Here His sorrow is declared, Then saith he unto them, My soul is sorrowful even unto death.

Matthew 27:45-50

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

(de Fid. Orth. iii. 27.) Although He died as man, and His holy soul was separated from His unstained body, yet His Godhead remained inseparate from either body or soul. Yet was not the one Person divided into two; for as both body and soul had from the beginning an existence in the Person of the Word, so also had they in death. For neither soul nor body had ever a Person of their own, besides the Person of the Word.

Philemon 1:2

And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

He did not start off immediately by asking for grace, but he started off by admiring and applauding the man for his excellent love, and to praise him for his faith in the Lord, and also the other generous saints.

Philemon 1:10

I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

Indeed the epistle was written in behalf of the slave, and having returned him, though he had done wrong, he was improving through the Apostle's teaching. Now many have benefitted from it, indeed, first and foremost those who are zealous. For if Paul makes such great haste for the fugitive and repentant thief, how much more shall we not be lazy for the brethren. Secondly, one must not give up on the servile class, even if it strains the uttermost limits of wickedness. Oh how the thief and fugitive became so virtuous! Thirdly, its not appropriate for slaves to run away from their masters. For if Paul now insures Philemon that Onesimus was now thankful to serve him and not wishing to defy his superior, how much more should we ought not to do it. For if the wonderful servant is still fit to remain in his job, and their masters realize it, then he may be useful in everything else in the household.

Philemon 1:25

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

This is, the Lord who grants the grace, not me. It was written to Philemon from Rome.

Proverbs 18:3

When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

The more those greater sins grow on them, the more does the soul become accustomed to them and think light of them. For it is said, “When the wicked comes to the depth of evil things, he thinks light of them.”

Proverbs 22:28

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

He has revealed to us what it was expedient for us to know, whereas that which we were unable to bear he has withheld. With these things let us be content, and in them let us abide, and let us not step over the ancient bounds or pass beyond the divine tradition.

Psalms 1:3

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The soul watered by sacred Scripture grows fat and bears fruit in due season, which is the orthodox faith, and so is it adorned with its evergreen leaves, with actions pleasing to God, I mean. And thus we are disposed to virtuous action and untroubled contemplation by the sacred Scriptures.

Psalms 6:6

I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

So from all these and many other examples beyond count we learn the virtue of tears and repentance. Only the manner thereof must be noted—it must arise from a heart that hates sin and weeps, as the prophet David says.… Again the cleansing of sins will be wrought by the blood of Christ, in the greatness of his compassion and the multitude of the mercies of that God who says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow.”

Psalms 8:3

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

By saying “founded” he meant the stability and immutability of the order and succession given them by God.

Psalms 9:6

O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

From there by his grace [the apostles] were scattered abroad among all nations and preached the orthodox faith, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all the commandments of the Savior. So they gave light to the people that wandered in darkness and abolished the superstitious error of idolatry. Though the enemy chafes under his defeat and even now stirs up war against us, the faithful, persuading the fools and unwise to cling to the worship of idols, yet is his power grown feeble, and his swords have at last failed him by the power of Christ.

Psalms 14:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

The fact that God exists is not doubted by those who accept the sacred Scriptures—both the Old and New Testaments, I mean—or by the majority of the Greeks, for, as we have said, the knowledge of God’s existence has been revealed to us through nature. However, since the wickedness of the evil one has so prevailed over people’s nature as even to drag some of them down to the most unspeakable and extremely wicked abyss of perdition and to make them say that there is no God, … then the Lord’s disciples and apostles, made wise by the all-Holy Spirit, did by his power and grace show signs from God and draw up those people alive in the net of their miracles from the depths of the ignorance of God to the light of his knowledge.