Interpretation of the Gospel of Mark

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria gained experience in explaining the Holy Scriptures when, as a rhetorician of the Great Church, he instructed the people. Most of his written interpretations arose at the request of the Greek Empress Maria, whom he calls his pious patron. These works became an outstanding synthesis and transposition of the established patristic traditions, primarily the heritage of the Antiochian theological school and St. John Chrysostom. As a rule, the author presents abbreviated versions of extensive interpretations of the ancient Church Fathers, borrowing only what is necessary for understanding the text. The commentary also includes his own explanations, which often concern disputes with heretics, especially later ones, and issues of dialogue with the Latins. Thanks to his clear, concise presentation and clear semantic emphasis, his commentaries were accessible to a wide range of readers, became widespread and had a significant influence on both Byzantine and Western European theology. The main theme in the Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (16 chapters) is to reveal the essence of Christ as the Son of God and the Messiah. The author examines the key events and miracles described in the Gospel of Mark, showing their significance and relevance for all stages of Christian life. The essay also examines moral aspects, which are interpreted through the prism of Christian teachings about love, mercy and repentance. Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 The Holy Gospel of Mark was written in Rome ten years after the Ascension of Christ. This Mark was a student and follower of Petrov, whom Peter even calls his son, of course, spiritual. He was also called John; was a nephew of Barnabas; accompanied the Apostle Paul. But for the most part he was with Peter, with whom he was also in Rome. Therefore the faithful at Rome asked him not only to preach to them without Scripture, but also to set down for them the works and life of Christ in Scripture; He barely agreed to this, however, he wrote. Meanwhile, it was revealed to Peter by God; that Mark wrote the Gospel. Peter testified that it was true. Then he sent Mark as a bishop to Egypt, where with his preaching he founded a church in Alexandria and enlightened everyone living in the midday country. The distinctive features of this Gospel are clarity and the absence of anything difficult to understand. Moreover, the real evangelist is almost similar to Matthew, except that it is shorter, and Matthew is more extensive, and that Matthew at the beginning mentions the Nativity of the Lord in the flesh, and Mark began with the prophet John. Hence, some, not without reason, see the following sign in the evangelists: God, sitting on the cherubim, whom Scripture depicts as four-faced (Ezek. 1:6), taught us a fourfold Gospel, animated by one spirit. So, each of the cherubim has one face called like a lion, another like a man, a third like an eagle, and a fourth like a calf (Ezek. 1:10); so it is in the matter of evangelical preaching. The Gospel of John has the face of a lion, for the lion is the image of royal power; so John began with royal and sovereign dignity, with the Divinity of the Word, saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” (John 1:1). The Gospel of Matthew has a human face because it begins with the carnal birth and incarnation of the Word. The Gospel of Mark is compared to an eagle, because it begins with a prophecy about John, and the gift of prophetic grace, as the gift of acute vision and insight into the distant future, can be likened to an eagle, which is said to be gifted with the sharpest vision, so that it alone of all animals, without closing its eyes, looks at the sun. The Gospel of Luke is like a calf because it begins with the priestly ministry of Zechariah, who offered incense for the sins of the people; then they also sacrificed the calf. So, Mark begins the Gospel with a prophecy and a prophetic life. Listen to what he says!