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Tractate 50
Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.
English translation and editorial credits: James Innes.
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The full expression is nardi pistici pretiosi: Gr. “νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου:” πιστικός from πίστις, trustworthy, hence, genuine, pure;—though Aug. seems to indicate that it may also have had a geographical reference.—Tr.
Editorial footnote · Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 50, editorial note cite_note-6 · Original source
6. But “Mary,” the other sister of Lazarus, “took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.” Such was the incident, let us look into the mystery it imported. Whatever soul of you wishes to be truly faithful, anoint like Mary the feet of the Lord with precious ointment. That ointment was righteousness, and therefore it was [exactly] a pound weight: but it was ointment of pure nard [nardi pistici], very precious. From his calling it “pistici,” we ought to infer that there was some locality from which it derived its preciousness: but this does not exhaust its meaning, and it harmonizes well with a sacramental symbol. The root of the word [“pure”] in the Greek is by us called “faith.” Thou wert seeking to work righteousness: the just shall live by faith. Anoint the feet of Jesus: follow by a good life the Lord’s footsteps. Wipe them with thy hair: what thou hast of superfluity, give to the poor, and thou hast wiped the feet of the Lord; for the hair seems to be the superfluous part of the body. Thou hast something to spare of thy abundance: it is superfluous to thee, but necessary for the feet of the Lord. Perhaps on this earth the Lord’s feet are still in need. For of whom but of His members is He yet to say in the end, “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of mine, ye did it unto me”? Ye spent what was superfluous for yourselves, but ye have done what was grateful to my feet.
“ἐβάσταζεν,” as used by John, may signify here, carried, bore, in a good sense; or carried off as a thief: for the latter sense, see chap. xx. 15.—Tr.
Editorial footnote · Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 50, editorial note cite_note-13 · Original source
9. And now, lastly, listen to what we have here, how this ointment was to some a sweet savor unto life, and to others a sweet savor unto death. When the pious Mary had rendered this grateful service to the Lord, straightway one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was yet to betray Him, said, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” Alas for thee, wretched man! the sweet savor hath slain thee. For the cause that led him so to speak is disclosed by the holy evangelist. But we, too, might have supposed, had not the real state of his mind been revealed in the Gospel, that the care of the poor might have induced him so to speak. Not so. What then? Hearken to a true witness: “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the money bag, and bare what was put therein.” Did he bear it about, or bear it away? For the common service he bore it, as a thief he bore it away.
Augustin’s words, sinite illam, ut in diem sepulturæae meæ servet illud, as rendered above, differ considerably from those of our English version, and are more difficult to understand; but they agree with by far the larger number of Greek mss., which read, ῎Αφες αὐτὴν ἵνα εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου τηρήσῃ αὐτό. Our English version, “Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this,” is taken from mss. which omit ἵνα, and have τετήρηκεν instead of τηρήσῃ.—Tr.
Editorial footnote · Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 50, editorial note cite_note-16 · Original source
11. Lay to heart our Lord’s example while living with man upon earth. Why had He a money bag, who was ministered unto by angels, save to intimate that His Church was destined thereafter to have her repository for money? Why gave He admission to a thief, save to teach His Church patiently to bear with thieves? But he who had formed the habit of abstracting money from the bag, did not hesitate for money received to sell the Lord Himself. But let us see what answer our Lord gave to such words. See, brethren: He does not say to him, Thou speakest so on account of thy thievishness. He knew him to be a thief, yet did not betray him, but rather endured him, and showed us an example of patience in tolerating the wicked in the Church. “Then said Jesus to him: Let her keep it against the day of my burial.” He announced that His own death was at hand.