And one of them, a certain Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing, and you will not think that it is better for us that one man should die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish." But he did not say this on his own behalf, but, being high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the people, and not only for the people, but also to gather together the scattered children of God. From that day on, they decided to kill Him. 

Among the Jews, by the way, the high priestly dignity was also distorted. For from the time when the offices of authority became purchased, the chief priests no longer served as priests all their lives, but only for a year. However, even with such a corruption of this dignity, the Holy Spirit still worked in the anointed. And when they raised their hands against Christ, then grace completely left them and passed on to the apostles. While some in the form of an opinion proposed to kill Christ, the high priest was so bloodthirsty that he pronounced sentence on Christ directly with his head bare, and boldly. He even reproaches others for not understanding what is due and not caring to see what is useful. You, he says, know nothing, do not want to understand, and do not think that it is better that Odin should die and all the people should be saved. He said this with an evil thought. For the grace of the Spirit used his mouth to foretell the future, although it did not touch his foul heart. Look at the power of the Spirit! She arranged it so that from an evil heart came the words that contained the wondrous prophecy. For when Christ died, all those who believed from among the people were delivered from a great and eternal punishment, and He died not only for the Jewish people, but in order to gather together the rest of the children of God, that is, the Gentiles. He calls the Gentiles children of God, and calls them so either in relation to the future, inasmuch as they are to become children of God, just as in another place He says: "I have other sheep also" (John 10:16), calling them so in relation to the future, or because He is the Father of all, Who begat us in a creative way, and because He honored us, creating us in His image and likeness, like the Apostle Paul, according to the Book of Acts (17:29), in his discourse to the Athenians he says: "Therefore we are the offspring of God." And so, since man is a living creature higher and God-like, then everyone is called a child of God, And so, we, scattered (for Satan separated people from one another and from God in many ways, disposing each one to rage against his neighbor for love of riches and glory), Christ brought us together, gathering into one Church and under one yoke, and making those near and far one body, that he who is in Rome should consider the inhabitants of India as his members and confess Christ as the one Head of all. "From this day on, they decided to kill Jesus." This means that from that day on, they were especially and finally confirmed in this intention. They had planned murder before, but weakly, and the matter was more a question than a decision, and now the final trial and decisive sentence took place. And before they sought to kill Him (John 5:18), and He Himself, rebuking them, said: "Why do you seek to kill Me?" (John 7:19). Notice the power of the high priestly dignity, how full it is of the grace of the Spirit, although those who bear it are unworthy. And I beseech thee, honor the chief priests according to the grace that dwells in them, and not according to their arbitrariness. Not only Caiaphas prophesied, but also many other unworthy people knew the future, for example, Pharaoh about the harvest and the failure of the harvest (Gen. 45:17-32), Nebuchadnezzar about kingdoms and Christ (Dan. 2:28-45) and Balaam about Christ (Num. 24:17). And not everyone who prophesies can be called a prophet, but every prophet prophesies. Just as not everyone who does something medical is already a doctor, but he who does medical things according to his medical title can be a doctor. Likewise, the righteous are not the one who does anything just, but the one who does righteousness according to what is said: "Persecute righteously" (Deuteronomy 16:20). Caiaphas also prophesies in this way, but not in the prophetic mood of the Spirit, and therefore not a prophet.

     Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to a country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there He remained with His disciples. The Passover of the Jews was approaching, and many from all over the country came to Jerusalem before the Passover to be cleansed. Then they were looking for Jesus, and standing in the temple, they said to one another, What do you think? Will He not come to the feast? And the chief priests and the Pharisees commanded that if any man knew where he would be, he would declare that he might take him. 

The Lord withdraws from the judgment of the Jews not out of fear, but in order to teach us not to go into danger ourselves, even for the sake of piety, but if we are captured, to stand bravely, and if we are not captured, not to voluntarily throw ourselves into danger because of the uncertainty of the end of the matter. See how foolish is the intention of the Jews. Even during the feast they do not refrain from the malice of murder, but have decided to commit murder and ascend for purification. Those who sinned, willingly or unwillingly, did not celebrate the Passover before they were cleansed according to custom through ablution, fasting, circumcision, and the offering of legal sacrifices. And they, the best, who work cleansing, take counsel against the Lord, and say, What do you think? will He not come to the feast?", that is, He will surely fall into our hands, and if nothing else, the very time will bring Him into our nets. What malice! Whereas the open criminals should have been set free for the festival, they are plotting against the Innocent. And if only the common people had done this, their addiction would have seemed to be the work of ignorance, otherwise the Pharisees give orders to announce Him and seize Him. Thus, the Lord decently withdraws from them. For the word of God, proclaimed by the prophets, formerly circulated openly among the Jews, but now it is no more, but has withdrawn into the wilderness – the Church of the Gentiles, of which it is said that the empty woman has far more children than she who has a husband (Isaiah 54:1). Not far away is Ephraim, the wilderness. Ephraim means "fruitfulness", Ephraim was the younger brother; Manasseh is the eldest. Manasseh means "forgetfulness". Thus, the Jewish people were the eldest son of God, for it is said, "My son is the firstborn Israel" (Exodus 4:22), but God forgot him; and Ephraim, that is, the fruit-bearing of the Gentiles, the Lord created the second son. Thus, the Word, having left Judea, went out into the wilderness of Ephraim, the Church of the Gentiles, fertilized by the Gospel.

Chapter Twelve

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they prepared a supper for Him, and Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those who sat at table with Him. And Mary, taking a pound of spikenard, pure and precious ointment, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. and the house was filled with the fragrance of myrrh. 

On the tenth day of the month, a lamb is chosen to be slaughtered on the feast of Passover (Exodus 12:3), and from the same time they begin to prepare everything necessary for the feast. Usually, six days before Easter, that is, on the ninth day of the month, they eat luxurious food and begin the feast on this day. For this reason Jesus also came to Bethany, sharing the supper. The Evangelist, wishing to show the truth of the resurrection of Lazarus, says: "And Lazarus was one of those who sat at table with Him." For when he appeared alive, he did not die immediately, but remained on earth for a long time, eating, drinking, and doing other usual things. By saying that "Martha served," he meant that the food was in her house. Take note, I beg you, of this woman's faith. She did not entrust the service to the maidservants, but performs it herself directly. And Paul speaks of a widow who washed the feet of the saints (1 Tim. 5:10). Thus, Martha herself serves everyone in general, and Mary gives honor only to Christ, because she hearkens to Him not as a man, but as God. For she shed myrrh and wiped her head with her hair, because she had a different conception of Him than others had, not as a mere man, but as Lord and Lord. Mary can also be understood in the highest sense - about the divinity of the Father and Lord of all; for Mary means "lady." Thus, the Father's Divinity, which dominates all things, anointed the feet of Jesus, the flesh of the Lord the Word, which had been taken on in recent times, anointed the Spirit with myrrh, just as David says: "Therefore Thy God has anointed Thee, O God, with the oil of joy" (Psalm 44:8); and the great Peter says: "Know all the house of Israel, that God has made this very Jesus, whom you have crucified, Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). For the Flesh received by the Word, anointed by the divine Spirit who came into the womb of the Virgin, and made the same as the Word, that is, God, filled the world with blessing, just as the myrrh of Mary filled the whole house with fragrance. What is the "hair" with which the feet are wiped? These are, of course, the saints who adorn the head of God and His supreme authority. For they, being to the glory of God, may be called His adornment. They also became partakers of the anointing of the Lord's flesh, as David also calls them "partakers" (Psalm 44:8), and the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians: "God who strengthens us with you in Christ, and anointed us" (2 Corinthians 1:21). And everywhere we learn that those who live according to Christ are called Christs (anointed ones). Thus, by the hair with which Jesus' feet are wiped and which are partakers of the divine anointing, we can understand Christians. Hair is something dead. And Christians are dead, for they have crucified the flesh (Gal. 5:24) and have put to death the members that are on the earth (Col. 3:3), and have put to death for the world. Hair adorns the head and constitutes its glory. The glory of God is also made up of the saints, since their light shines before men, and the Father is glorified through them (Matt. 5:16), and they eat and drink for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), and in their members they glorify Him. And you, since Jesus has resurrected your mind, as if it were a certain Lazarus, receive Him into the house of your soul; let him who has risen recline with Him; anoint the feet of the Lord, six days before the Passover, before the Passover of the age to come as long as you live in this world made in six days. By the "feet" of Christ can be understood: the Apostle and the Gospel, and the commandments in general, for by them He walks in us. And so, to these commandments add myrrh - a disposition composed of various virtues, of which the highest is faith, ardent as spikenard. For if you do not show a fervent, zealous and virtuous disposition towards these commandments, and do not reject them with mortified limbs, as with hair, and do not receive them into yourself, you will not be able to perfume your house. By the "feet" of the Lord can be understood the lesser brethren, in whose person Christ comes to the doors of each and asks for what is necessary: anoint them with the myrrh of almsgiving. Many give alms for show, and therefore do not benefit themselves, for here they receive a reward (Matt. 6:1-2). And you wipe your head with your hair and receive the benefit for your soul, gather the fruit of alms in the dominant part. And if you have anything dead and soulless, like hair, perfume it with this good anointing. For it is said: "Atone for thy sins with almsgiving" (Dan. 4:24).

     Then one of His disciples, Judas Simon Iscariot, who wanted to betray Him, said, "Why not sell this ointment for three hundred denarii and distribute it to the poor?" He said this not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. (He had a money drawer with him and carried what was put into it.) And Jesus said, Leave her; she has reserved it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but not always Me.