Mark 14:7 — Community Reflections

MARK 14:7 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.”

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me — the you will always have the poor is not an argument against caring for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:11 is the source text, and the context there is a command to be generous precisely because the poor are always present) but a statement about the specific, unrepeatable moment of Jesus' presence. The poor can be helped at any time; Jesus' presence in this body, in this moment, cannot be extended.

Church Fathers on Mark 14:7

The Lord when about to suffer for the whole world, and to redeem all nations with His Blood, dwells in Bethany, that is, in the house of obedience.
Bede · 8th century

For the fawn amongst the stags ever comes back to his couch, that is, the Son, obedient to the Father even unto death, seeks for obedience from us.
Pseudo-Jerome · 5th century

But although the four Evangelists record the anointing by a woman, there were two women and not one; one described by John, the sister of Lazarus; it was she who six days before the Passover anointed the feet of Jesus; another described by the other three Evangelists. Nay, if you examine, you will find three; for one is described by John, another by Luke, a third by the other two. For that one described by Luke is said to be a sinner and to have come to Jesus during the time…
Theophylact · 11th century

Read all 17 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a reflection on this verse

No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!