The Gospel According to Saint Mark
Mark 14
Chapter XIV · Vol. IV, pp. 137–140
1 A conspiracy against Christ. 3 Precious ointment is poured on his head by a woman. 10 Judas selleth his Master for money. 12 Christ himself foretelleth how he shall be betrayed by one of his disciples: 22 after the passover prepared, and eaten, instituteth his last supper: 26 declareth aforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial of him. 43 Judas betrayeth him with a kiss. 46 He is apprehended in the garden, 53 falsely accused, and impiously condemned of the Jews' council: 65 shamefully abused by them. 66 Peter's denial, and repentance.
1 After twoa days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread:1 and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
a Mat.26.2-5. Lu.22.1,2. Ps.2.1-5; 22.12,16. Jn.11.47,53; 13.18. Ac.4.26-28.
1 The two are put together because the time for eating the paschal feast was the commencement of the seven days during which unleavened bread alone was to be eaten, Ex.12.15.—P.
2 Butb they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
b Jn.7.12,40; 13.1. Lu.20.6. ch.11.18,32, with Pr.19.21; 21.30.
3 Andc being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster-box of ointment of spikenard,2 very precious; and she brake the box,3 and poured it on his head.4
c Mat.26.6-13. Lu.7.37. Jn.11.2; 12.1-9.
2 Or, pure nard or liquid nard.
3 She brake the box. The word translated brake, signifies 'to rub together, to crush, to break in pieces.' Some take it here to signify 'to shake up'—translating 'very precious' by 'liquid,' as on the margin. The breaking can scarcely be spoken of the box itself; but, most probably, is spoken of the envelope or case in which the box was inclosed, or the seal or cement by which it was secured. The idea of shaking being necessary to 'bring it into a proper state of liquidity,' as some suppose, proceeds upon inattention to the low temperature at which such oils are perfectly liquefied, and the advanced state of the year in the warm climate of Palestine.—C.
4 See note on Jn.12.3.—P.
4 Andd there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence,5 and ehave been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
7 Forh ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could:6 she is come aforehand ito anoint my body to the burying.
6 This is one of those minute and delicate details which I have often noted as characteristic of Mark. It completes the picture. Mary had pondered, probably long and anxiously, how she could most palpably show her esteem and devotion to Jesus. She procured this precious ointment — perhaps spending her all upon it, and poured it upon her beloved Lord. She may have had some dim foresight of his death; and her act may have been one of faith as well as devotion. However this may be, she did all in her power to testify her supreme love and honour for the Messiah; so he understood and appreciated it; and so he has proclaimed it to all generations in these striking words recorded by Mark:—'She hath done what she could.'—P.
i Mat.27.57-60. ch.15.42-47. Lu.23.50-56. Jn.19.38-42.
9 Verily I say unto you, jWheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
10 Andk Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.7
k Mat.26.14-16. Lu.22.3-6. Ps.41.9; 55.12-14. Jn.6.70,71; 13.2.
7 The rebuke administered to Judas by Christ in connection with the anointing, doubtless contributed to stir up his angry feelings, and to lead him to carry out at once the base design he had for some time contemplated.—P.
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to lgive him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
12 Andn the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed8 the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover?
n Mat.26.17-29. Lu.22.7-
8 Or, sacrificed.
13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, oGo ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
o ch.11.2,3. He.4.13.
14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the good-man of the house, pThe Master saith, Where is the guest-chamber, where qI shall eat the passover with my disciples?
16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and sfound as he had said unto them: and tthey made ready the passover.1
t 1 Sa.15.22. Ex.23.21. Jn.15.14. De.11.32.
1 As, at the feast of the passover, many strangers assembled at Jerusalem, it was customary for the residents in the city to have chambers all prepared for the paschal feast. It was such an one the disciples were led to as they followed out the instructions of Christ. Mark, with his customary minuteness, indicates alike the custom and the fact, by describing the chamber as not only furnished, but 'prepared.'—P.
18 Andv as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, xOne of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
19 And they began to be ysorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that zdippeth with me in the dish.2
z Jn.13.18,26. Lu.22.21,22. See on ver.18.
2 See note on Mat.26.23.—P.
21 The Son of man indeed goeth, aas it is written of him: but bwoe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
a Ge.3.15. Ps.22.1-21; 69.1-21. Is.52.14; 53.1-12; 50.5,6. Da.9.24,26. Zec.13.7.
b Ps.55.15-23; 109.1-20. Mat.27.3-5. Ac.1.16-20. Mat.18.6,7.
22 Andc as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat;3 this is4 my body.Cited in WSC 92 · WLC 169 · WCF 29.3 · HC 75 · SC Altar 2
c Mat.26.26-29. Lu.22.19,20. Jn.6.48-58. 1 Co.11.23-29; 10.16,17.
3 Take, eat. This command, coming immediately after the paschal supper, clearly showed that the eating was not for bodily refreshment, but for a spiritual purpose.—C.
4 Represents, Ge.41.26,27. 1 Co.10.4. Ex.12.11,12.
23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.Cited in WSC 92 · WLC 169 · WCF 29.3 · HC 75 · SC Altar 2
24 And he said unto them, dThis is my blood of the new testament,5 which is shed for many.Cited in WSC 92 · WLC 169 · WCF 29.3 · HC 75 · SC Altar 2
d Ex.24.8. Zec.9.11. Mat.20.28. 1 Co.10.16. Jn.6.53. He.9.14-17. Ro.5.10,11,15-21. He.13.20. Je.31.33.
5 'This is my blood of the new covenant,' referring to the words of Ex.24.8. The blood of the paschal lamb is called 'the blood of the covenant,' because it was sprinkled on the door-posts, and was the sign to the destroying angel that the inmates had fulfilled the conditions, and were therefore saved from death. The blood of Christ, of which in the sacrament we by faith spiritually partake, is the blood of the new covenant, and is the sign and seal of our salvation.—P.
25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the efruit of the vine, until that day that I gdrink it new in the kingdom of God.6Cited in WSC 92
e Lu.22.16. Ps.104.15. Ac.10.41.
g Mat.3.2; 4.17. 1 Co.15.24,28. Lu.22.29,30. Joel 3.18. Am.9.13,14.
6 See note on Mat.26.29.—P.
26 And when they had sung an 7hymn, they hwent out into the mount of Olives.
7 Or, psalm, i.e. Ps.cxiii.-cxviii.
27 Andi Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, jI will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
29 Butl Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
l Mat.26.33-35. Lu.22.31-34. Jn.13.36-39, with ver.66-72. Mat.26.69-75. Lu.22.54-62. 1 Co.10.12.
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me 8thrice.
8 See note on ch.14.72.—P.
31 Butn he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. oLikewise also said they all.
32 Andp they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I qshall pray.
33 And he taketh with him rPeter and James and John, and began to be ssore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.t
t ver.38. ch.13.33,35,37. 1 Pe.5.8. Ep.6.18,19.
35 And he went forward a little, and ufell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 Andv he said, Abba,9 Father, xall things are possible unto thee; ytake away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
9 Abba, in the Syriac, signifies father; and was the title given to a father by those who were born Jews and were free. Hence it was not allowed for a child born of a slave or proselyte of the gate, and a Jew, to call his father abba; because, among the Jews, the condition of the children depending either upon the real or adopted mother, none were reputed Jews unless born of a Jewish mother or proselyte of the covenant. Neither were children free if their mother was a slave, Ga.4.24. But though in coming into the world Christ took upon him 'the form of a servant,' yet being still 'God's dear Son,' he here addresses him by the title peculiar to one 'free born,' and cries to him, in the hours of agony inexpressible, 'Abba, the Father!'—C.
x Ge.18.14. Je.32.17,27.
y Lu.22.42. Jn.12.27. He.5.7,8. Phi.2.8. Ps.40.8. Jn.4.34; 5.30; 6.38,39; 18.11. Mat.20.22.
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldestz not thou watch one hour?
38 Watcha ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. bThe spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
a ch.13.33-37. Mat.26.42; 25.13. 1 Co.16.13. 1 Pe.5.8. Ep.6.18.
b Ro.7.18-25. Ga.5.17.
40 And when he returned, he found them asleepd again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, eSleep on now, and take your rest: itg is enough, the hour is come: behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
e 1 Ki.18.27. Ec.11.9. Pr.6.10,14.
42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.
43 Andh immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever iI shall kiss, that same is he: take him, and lead him away safely.
45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master,1 Master;2 and kissed him.
1 Gr. Rabbi, Rabbi. ch.10.51. Lu.6.46. Jn.20.16. Mat.23.8-10; 26.49.
2 Master, Master. Matthew says the words were 'Hail, Master.' Is there not, therefore, either a contradiction between the two, or an error in the one or the other? or at least is there not here a clear proof that the inspiration was not verbal; for verbal inspiration would require perfect agreement? The answer to this plausible objection is easy. Verbal inspiration does not require perfect agreement between two or more narratives of the same event—it merely requires perfect truth in each. Judas must have repeated his salutation—'Hail, Master'—a thing most natural. Matthew records the one address, 'Hail, Master;' Mark omits the 'Hail,' and records not all Judas said, but repeats 'Master, Master,' which he actually did say. Why the Holy Spirit directed these different selections of words we cannot positively tell. The reason, most probably, lay in the suitableness of the one address to the customs of the Jews, and of the other to those of the Romans.—C.
46 Andj they laid their hands on him, and took him.
j La.4.20. Ac.2.23. Ps.22.12,16.
47 Andk one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high-priest, and cut off his ear.
48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
49 Il was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
50 Andn they all forsook him, and fled.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
n ver.27. Jn.16.32. Job 19.13,14. Ps.88.8,18; 38.11. Is.63.3. 2 Ti.4.10.
51 And there followed him a certain young man,3 having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
3 And there followed him a certain young man. Who this was, or why at all introduced, does not appear. Conjecture is, at all times, a doubtful guide, and seldom to be followed; yet here, where it cannot do an injury, and may afford a pleasing reflection, we would venture to suggest the possibility at least that this may have been that 'young man' whom Jesus loved, Mat.19.20; ch.10.21, and who, repenting of his worldly sorrow (ch.10.22), had so far complied with our Lord's direction as to have reduced himself to the mere loose garment he wore, and who now literally and absolutely fulfils the injunction by gladly parting with the last remnant of the property which he once so dearly loved. But whoever he was, he shows by his example what a man will give up for the safety of his body. What, then, should we not renounce for the salvation of our souls?—C.
53 Andp they led Jesus away to the high-priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.
54 Andq Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high-priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
q ver.29,31. Jn.8.15,17. Pr.9.6; 13.20. ch.13.33-37. ver.38.
55 Andr the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and sfound none.
r Mat.26.59-62. Jn.18.19-23. Ps.27.12; 35.11. Ac.xxiii. 1 Ki.21.10.
56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
58 We heard him say, tI will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
59 But neither so did their witness agree together.
60 And uthe high-priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee?
u Mat.26.62, &c.
61 Butv he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high-priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou xthe Christ, the Son of the Blessed?5
v Ps.39.9. Is.53.7. Ac.8.32. Ps.38.13,14. ch.15.3,5. Jn.19.9. 1 Pe.2.23. Mat.11.29.
x Mat.11.4,5; 16.16. Jn.1.49-51; 6.69; 10.30,36. Is.9.6,7. Zec.13.7.
5 Son of the Blessed. The apparent discrepancy between this question, and the consequent objection either to the historic accuracy of the evangelist, or the verbal inspiration of this Gospel, will be solved and answered as in the case of ver. 45. In this case an additional answer to the objection presents itself. The high-priest spoke, most probably, in a dialect of the Syriac, the evangelists translated into Greek, a language rich in words; and, for wise reasons, the Spirit of God may have directed each evangelist to a different, but equivalent translation of the same word.—C.
62 And Jesus said, I am: yand ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65 Andb some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
66 Andc as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of dthe maids of the high-priest:Cited in WLC 78 · WCF 5.5
c Mat.26.58,69-75. Lu.22.54-62. Jn.18.15-18,25-27, with ver.29,31. Jn.13.36-38.
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus eof Nazareth.
e Mat.1.21; 2.23. Lu.4.16. Jn.1.45,46. ch.10.47. Ac.10.38.
68 But he denied, saying, gI know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
g 2 Ti.2.12,13.
70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art ia Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
i ch.1.16. Lu.22.59. Jn.1.43,44. Ac.2.7. Ju.12.6.
71 Butj he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
j ver.29,31. Mat.26.74. Lu.22.60. Jn.18.26,27. Ps.144.3. 1 Co.10.12.
72 Andk the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And 6when he thought thereon, he wept.7
k Mat.26.34,75. ver.30,68. Jn.13.38. Lu.22.61,62.
6 Or, he wept abundantly, or he began to weep, Ps.119.59,60. Eze.7.16. Zec.12.10. Je.31.18. 2 Co.7.10,11. 2 Sa.24.10.
7 See note * below.
* An oriental palace consists of at least two courts, with chambers ranged round, and opening into them. The outer court is usually the place of reception, and of hearing and judging cases. In this court our Lord was examined, and in it a fire was kindled, round which stood the servants and soldiers with Peter among them. An entry or passage, here called 'the porch,' opened from the court on the street. Peter's first denial took place at the fire in the middle of the court, on his being questioned by the female porter. Peter then retreats into the passage leading to the street, where he is again questioned, and makes his second denial. The evangelists differ as to the person who questioned him. Mark says 'the same maid;' Matthew, 'another maid;' Luke, 'another' person; John, 'they said.' The truth is, several persons interrogated him, as was very natural under the circumstances. The third denial took place an hour after, within the court, when our Lord and Peter could see each other. Here Matthew and Mark speak of several interrogators; Luke has 'some other man;' John specifies the servant of the high-priest. All are correct. Each evangelist records what struck himself. Mark says the cock crowed twice; the other evangelists only speak of once. There is no discrepancy. Mark records with greater minuteness of detail.—P.