Some contextual verses for the Gospel
passages that were not in the missal, but which Francis and his
companions probably would have remembered in summary and/or would have
been taught specifically from an actual Gospel manuscript after the
event—
Passage 1--Mark 10:21 / Matthew 19:21
Francis first thought he was looking at a fragment of Matthew, but if
W.75 was the manuscript he touched, the passage was actually from
Mark. They are very easy to mistake for one another.
Augustine Thompson believes John of Perugia, earliest source for this
story, simply confused the two passages in a memory recalled in 1241,
33 years later (194). Both passages appear to describe the same day on
which Jesus issued various instructions and explanations to his
disciples and to other people who interacted with him. In both,
he answers questions about marriage (from which many Christian wedding
ceremonies take “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man
put asunder.”) and demands that they allow children to be brought to
him for blessing (“Suffer the little children to come unto me, and
forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.”).
Then both narratives describe a wealthy young
man who has been trying to follow ethical precepts but is unsure
whether they are enough to save his soul. He is not happy with
the answer, nor, at first, are the disciples who hear the
dialogue. Because Matthew’s text matches so closely with Mark’s
version of events that happened over two thousand years ago, many
scholars take them as truthful witnesses that corroborate each other’s
authenticity. This is the Douay-Rheims translation of Mark’s
version with the passage Francis first encountered in boldface,
including the parallel passage in Matthew that John of Perugia thought
was pointed out:
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up
and kneeling before him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I
may receive life everlasting?
18 And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill,
do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father
and mother.
20 But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.
21 And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee: go,
sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. [The nearly identical
text of Matthew 19:21, is translated by D-R as: “If thou wilt be
perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.”]
22 Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looking round about, saith to his disciples: How hardly shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus again
answering, saith to them: Children, how hard is it for them that trust
in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God?
25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 Who wondered the more, saying among themselves: Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking on them, saith: With men it is impossible; but not with God: for all things are possible with God.
28 And Peter began to say unto him: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee.
29 Jesus answering, said: Amen I say to you, there is no man who hath
left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children,
or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
30 Who shall not receive an hundred times as much, now in this time;
houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and
lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life everlasting.
31 But many that are first, shall be last: and the last, first.
Passage 2—Luke 9:3 This
passage describes another episode of Jesus’ preaching with a very
similar exhortation to his disciples. Jesus has been preaching in
the countryside and a crowd they estimate at 5,000 people gathered to
hear him. The disciples ask how the people are to be fed, and
this leads to the “miracle of the loaves and fishes” which multiply as
they are distributed until more food is left than the original amount
in the baskets. Then, Jesus asks his disciples who they thought
he was, warning them not to tell anyone he was “The Christ of
God.” Soon after this passage, Peter, James, and John awake in
the darkness to see Jesus “transfigured” (bathed in white light) and
hear a voice from a cloud say “This is my beloved Son; hear him.”
These events, and Jesus’ warning not to reveal them while he is alive,
form a part of the Church’s Jesus-as-Christ doctrine. This is the
Douay-Rheims translation of Luke’s version with the passage in boldface:
18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples also
were with him: and he asked them, saying: Whom do the people say that I
am?
19 But they answered, and said: John the Baptist; but some say Elias;
and others say that one of the former prophets is risen again.
20 And he said to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answering, said: The Christ of God.
21 But he strictly charging them, commanded they should tell this to no man.
22 Saying: The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by
the ancients and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the
third day rise again.
23 And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and cast away himself?
26 For he that shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him the Son
of man shall be ashamed, when he shall come in his majesty, and that of
his Father, and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you of a truth: There are some standing here that shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God.
Passage 3—Matthew 16.21
In a setting very like that of the first passage, Pharisees tempt Jesus
to perform miracles, which he refuses to do for them. Then the
disciples arrive without enough food, which leads Jesus to remind them
about the “miracle of the loaves and fishes” with a very specific
inventory of what was brought and what was distributed. Then he
asks the disciples who people say he is, and Simon-Peter this time
answers “Thou art Christ, Son of the Living God,” and Jesus blesses him
with the prophecy that upon him (petrum, from Petrus, Peter, a pun on
“rock”) he will build his church. This is the foundation text of
the Papacy’s claim to control salvation and damnation. Afterward,
Jesus predicts the torments and execution he will have to endure, Peter
objects and is roundly chastised, leading to a third restatement of the
rigorous challenges of discipleship. This is the Douay-Rheims
translation of Matthew’s version with the passage Francis pointed to in
boldface:
21 From that time Jesus began to shew to his disciples, that he must go
to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and
chief priests, and be put to death, and the third day rise again.
22 And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee.
23 Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal
unto me: because thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the
things that are of men.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.
26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and
suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for
his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his
angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.
28 Amen I say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that
shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his
kingdom.