Alcuin of York's Commentary on John 12:1-11

 Translated by Qwen.

 Alcuin of York's Commentary on John 12:1-11

Jn 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus had been dead, whom he raised.

But the Lord, knowing that the Jews had conspired to kill him, did not flee the hands of those lying in wait; rather, certain of the glory of his resurrection, he first came to Bethany, a city near Jerusalem, where he had raised Lazarus from the dead, and then also to Jerusalem, where he himself would suffer and rise from the dead. He came to Jerusalem indeed that he might die there; but to Bethany, that the raising of Lazarus might be more firmly impressed upon the memory of all, and that the impious leaders might be more and more confounded and convicted as inexcusable—who did not fear to kill him who could raise (or be raised) from the dead, and who, neither moved by the benefit of Lazarus's restoration nor terrified by the divine power of him who raises, would not withdraw their minds from unjust slaughter.

Nor should it be read casually why Jesus came to Bethany six days before the Passover. For the number six holds great dignity in the Holy Scriptures, and many works of our Lord God are shown to have been perfected in the number six; because the number six, when divided or combined according to its own proper parts within itself, is established as most perfect. For it has three parts denominated within itself: namely, one, two, and three. For its sixth part is one, its third part two, and its half therefore three. But one, two, and three are recognized to make six; nor can anything else be produced from these three parts joined together except six alone; nor can the number six be divided into other parts except these three: that is, one, two, three.

For it is most well known that the Lord himself, the Creator of all things, perfected the creatures of this world in six days; and it is established that on the sixth day he made man, whom, lost through the serpent's deceit, the Son of God himself—through whom he was created—came to Bethany to liberate six days before the Passover, so that he who was created on the sixth day might be liberated on the sixth day of the week [Friday]. For that Christ suffered on the sixth day of the week, I believe is known to no one. Therefore, also, in the sixth month, as the archangel announced, the holy Virgin is read to have conceived this same Redeemer of ours by the sacred inspiration of the Holy Spirit; who also, at the sixth hour, sitting by the well in perfect maturity, deigned to open the streams of the divine fountain to the Samaritan woman; and likewise, in the sixth age of the world, the Creator himself, according to the faith of sacred history, is now read to have come for the redemption of the world.

Moreover, these three parts—that is, one, two, and three, from which, as we have said, the number six consists—hold some mystery in the dispensation of human salvation. For first, in the time under the law of nature, as it were in a certain unity, the holy Fathers served God. Second, the law was added to nature, so that what evil custom had corrupted in nature, the law might reform in the letter; and there were two: nature and law. Third, therefore, heavenly grace came through Jesus Christ; and there are three: nature, law, and grace. Just as neither does the law of nature destroy the good, nor does grace dissolve the law, but rather fulfills it and restores nature to its original nobility—nevertheless, nature and law could not be fulfilled without grace; nor was free will so given to man that he would not need the precept of the law, or the precept of the law that he would not need grace, as the Pelagian heresy affirms.

Jn 12:2 And lest the contrivers of calumnies should say that Lazarus had been raised in phantom, a supper was prepared there for the Lord, and he himself was one of those reclining at table with him [John 12:2], so that while they saw or heard him living, speaking, dining, and conversing familiarly with his own, they might thus recognize the power of him who raised him and receive grace.

Mystically, however, this supper of the Lord, at which Martha served and Lazarus reclined among the others, is the faith of the Church, which works through love. In this supper, Martha serves when each faithful soul devotes the service of her devotion to the Lord. But Lazarus becomes one of those reclining with the Lord when even those who, after the first death of sins, have been raised to justice, together with those who have remained in their justice, rejoice in the presence of the Truth; penitents together with the innocent are nourished by the gifts of heavenly grace. And rightly is this same supper celebrated in Bethany, which is a city on the side of the Mount of Olives and is interpreted "house of obedience." For the house of obedience is the Church, which faithfully obeys the Lord's commands; and this is the city which, established upon the mountain of mercy, can never be hidden; and this same [Church], constructed from the side of the Redeemer, has been imbued with the water of washing and the blood of sanctification, which flowed from his side as he died for her. There also the other sister of Lazarus, Mary, as a sign of great love—as the following words of the Gospel reading show—took a pound of ointment of spikenard, pure, precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. By this deed, she gives not only a sign of her own devotion, but also marks out the pious service of other faithful souls devoted to God.

Jn 12:3

Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of spikenard, pure, precious.

What indeed is expressed by the pound of ointment except the perfection of justice? That this ointment is said to be made from pistic nard—what indeed is insinuated by the ointment except the good odor of reputation? And this ointment is made from pistic nard, that is, faithful nard. For pistis in Greek is called fides [faith] in Latin; for without faith it is impossible to please God [Heb. 11:6], nor can a good reputation exist without Catholic faith. O man, anoint the feet of Jesus by living well; follow the Lord's footsteps, and wipe them with your hair—as if you have superfluous things, distribute them to the poor. This is to wipe the feet of Jesus with hair. What is superfluous to you is necessary for the feet of the Lord; that is, for the least ones in the Church, concerning whom the Lord will say at the end: "As long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me" [Matt. 25:40].

But the house was filled with the odor—that is, the Church with the good fame of religious life. For a good odor is a good life. Hear the Apostle of Christ: "We are the good odor of Christ," he says, "in every place" [2 Cor. 2:15]; and in the Song of Songs: "Your name is as ointment poured forth" [Song 1:2]. Likewise: "While the king was at his table, my spikenard sent forth its odor" [Song 1:11]. Wherein is openly shown not only what Mary once did, but also, typically, what the whole Church, what each perfect soul, always does.

Jn 12:4-5

Therefore one of his disciples says, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray him: Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?

Woe to the impious traitor! Woe to his accomplices in wickedness, even now persecuting the members of Christ, who do not cease to envy their neighbors who possess the fame of virtue which they themselves do not merit to have! And indeed we might think that Judas spoke these things out of care for the poor; but the truthful witness reveals his mind, who says:

Jn 12:6

Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, he carried the things that were put in.

Therefore Judas did not perish then, when corrupted by money he betrayed [or: lost] the Lord; but already lost, he was following the Lord—who, having the Lord's money boxes, carried the things that were put in for the ministry of the poor, which he was accustomed to steal even with an unfaithful mind. Therefore, seeing that his heart was already polluted with the filth of greed, and foreseeing that it would be polluted with the worse filth of betrayal, the Lord committed to his trust whatever they had in the bags; and he permitted him to do what he wished, so that perhaps the memory of honor bestowed or money received might turn his mind away from the very act of selling [the Lord]. But because the greedy man is always in need, and the faithless man never remembers benefits, the impious man proceeded from the theft of the money which he carried to the betrayal of the Lord, who had entrusted money to him for safekeeping.

Jn 12:7

Therefore Jesus said: Let her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial.

As if to one innocently inquiring, the Lord simply and gently explained to Judas to what purpose Mary's ministry pertained: namely, that he himself was about to die and would need to be anointed with spices for burial. And therefore it was granted to Mary—who, although greatly desiring, would not be permitted to come to the anointing of his dead body because his swift resurrection would prevent it—that she might anoint him while still living. Whence Mark testifies well that the Lord said concerning her: "She has done what she could; she has come beforehand to anoint my body for the burial" [Mark 14:8]. Which is to say openly: because she will not be able to touch my body after I am dead, she did alone what she could; she came beforehand to bestow the office of burial upon me while I was still alive.

Jn 12:8

For the poor you will always have with you, but me you will not always have.

And here, with great moderation of patience, the Lord does not rebuke Judas for avarice; but he shows by reason that those are not to be blamed who ministered to him from their resources while he was living among men, since he himself was to remain bodily with the Church for such a short time, but the poor, to whom alms might be given, would always be had in her.

Jn 12:9

Therefore a great crowd of the Jews knew that he was there, and they came not only on account of Jesus, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Curiosity, not charity, brought these to Jesus. But we, on the contrary, dearest brothers, if we know where Jesus is, where he makes his dwelling, where he finds Bethany—that is, the house of the obedient soul in which he inhabits—let us come there by contemplation; not on account of the man alone whom he has granted to live spiritually, raised from the death of the soul; but that by imitating the good life of the man, we may merit through this to attain to the vision of Jesus, because we have certainly known where Jesus is: for he rose after death and ascended into heaven, where he has an eternal dwelling. This is the true Bethany: namely, the heavenly city, which no one can enter except the obedient one.

Jn 12:10-11

But the chief priests thought to kill Lazarus also, because many on account of him were going away from the Jews and believing in Jesus.

O blind cunning of the blind! They wish to kill one who has been raised, as if he who could raise the dead could not raise one who had been killed! And indeed he taught both truths—he who both raised Lazarus when dead, and raised himself when killed.

After the Lord raised one who had been dead for four days, while the Jews were astonished—some believing by seeing, others perishing by envy—Jesus reclined at table in the house, with Lazarus also reclining, who had been raised from death; after the ointment had been poured out upon his feet, whence the house was filled with odor—concerning which matters we have treated as much as we could in the preceding sections. Now we must see what was done before the Lord's passion. For the Evangelist says...

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