Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels, Collected Out of the Works of the Fathers, Volume II Gospel of St. Mark

In the 13th century, Pope Urban IV, desiring that scholars of his day be better acquainted with the ideas of early Christians, assigned Saint Thomas Aquinas to compile a commentary on the Gospels based on the teachings of the Church fathers. The result is the Catena Aurea, or "Golden Chain." This eight-volume set, composed of analyses of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, gives readers a deeper insight into how the original teachers of Christianity read and understood Scripture.

In the Catena, each Gospel is presented chapter-by-chapter and verse by verse alongside relevant Biblical passages and critical analysis by such Church luminaries as Augustine and the Venerable Bede. Of particular interest to students of religion, seminarians, and clergy, the Catena is a classic of Catholic scholarship that will serve as a useful and easy reference.

Volume II: St. Mark contains "The Gospel of St. Mark" in its entirety.

The Summa Theologica is the best-known work of Italian philosopher, scholar, and Dominican friar SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274), widely considered the Catholic Church's greatest theologian. Famously consulted (immediately after the Bible) on religious questions at the Council of Trent, Aquinas's masterpiece has been considered a summary of official Church philosophy ever since. Aquinas considers approximately 10,000 questions on Church doctrine covering the roles and nature of God, man, and Jesus, then lays out objections to Church teachings and systematically confronts each, using Biblical verses, theologians, and philosophers to bolster his arguments.