Mar 14:1
It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,: Passover points to Jesus (Joh 1:29, 1Pe 1:19). Jesus was the ultimate Passover lamb. The Passover lamb was killed on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The feast lasted seven days.
Mar 14:2
for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”: The people believed Jesus was a prophet, and a great many believed He was the Messiah. When Jesus entered Jerusalem in His triumphal entry, the people believed He was the Messiah (Mar 11:1-11).
Mar 14:3
And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.: Alabaster was a type of stone used as a container. Most of us have seen them but probably didn't realize they were alabaster. They look like marble. There are a lot on etsy.com if you would like to see how they look. This nard was worth about 300 days wages, so in today's money (2025), it would be worth anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000.
Mar 14:4
There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?: These indignant people were the disciples, and as Joh 12:4-5 tells us, they were probably incited by Judas. He was angry because he used to steal from the treasury and this would have been a great opportunity for him to make some extra cash.
Mar 14:5
For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.: 300 denarii in 2025 dollars is around $30,000 to $50,000. It was Judas Iscariot who incited the disciples to say this (Joh 12:4-5). It wasn't out of concern for the poor either. He stole out of the funds and was angry that he missed this opportunity (Joh 12:6).
Mar 14:6
But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.: The disciples still didn't want to hear what Jesus had been telling them. He had told them multiple times that He would be crucified. If they had listened, they may have known what was happening. She was anointing Jesus's body for burial. This was a prophetic act, no doubt inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Mar 14:7
For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.: While this world is under the rule of Satan, we'll always have the poor. There will never be a shortage of opportunity to help, but there was only a short window to bless the Creator. The disciples were focused on the wrong thing! No matter how many times Jesus told them that He had to die, they wouldn't listen and still thought He was going to overthrow the Romans and establish His kingdom at that time.
Mar 14:8
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.: Jesus tells His disciples that this was a prophetic act. They didn't want to believe, but Jesus was doing everything He could so that they would understand when He was crucified. The disciples still believed that Jesus was going to set up His kingdom on earth at that time.
Mar 14:9
And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”: It's interesting that in Jesus's life, there are three women mentioned that will have their stories told throughout history. Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist, Mary the mother of God, and this woman, who is possibly Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Joh 12:1-8). This goes to show that it's better to honor God than anything else.
Mar 14:10
Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.: Jesus defending the woman probably angered Judas, as it seems that right after, he left to go try and betray Jesus.
Mar 14:11
And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.: The priests agreed to pay Judas 30 pieces of silver (Mat 26:15), fulfilling Zec 11:12. Judas also fulfilled the prophecy in Psa 41:9, "Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me."
Why did they need Judas? Because the priests didn't want to cause an uproar when they arrested Jesus. The people believed He was a prophet, and if they arrested Him while surrounded by throngs of people, there would probably be a riot. Judas could let the priests know when He was alone, as he did when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. And because Jesus was just an average looking human (Isa 53:2), Judas would identify Jesus with a kiss so the would know they were arresting the right person.
Mar 14:12
And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”: (Read Exo 12:1-28) The Feast of Unleavened Bread (AKA Passover) lasts seven days, and on the first day, the Passover lamb is sacrificed. The Passover lamb's blood was painted on the door posts of the houses of the Jews in Egypt. Those who put the blood on the two sides of the door and the lintel (top wood bar that sat on top of the two side posts) would be passed over by the Lord, and their firstborn would be saved. It was the Lord Himself that passed through the land and killed the firstborn of the Egyptians.
Mar 14:13
And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,: These two disciples were Peter and John (Luk 22:8). In those days, men didn't carry water, so for Jesus to have these disciples look for a man carrying water is an interesting fact that adds to the proof of Him being God. It's possible that this man was one of the Essenes, because they were dedicated to a life of celibacy, and would be carrying water since they had no wives.
Mar 14:14
and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’: We aren't told whose house this is, but "the master of the house" means that this person owns it and is the head of the household. Regarding the phrase 'Where is my guest room,' there is a debate over whether it should be translated as 'the' or 'my.' The ESV chose 'my' for readability, while 'the' also conveys a possessive meaning in the original Greek. This difference may arise from manuscript variations, but both renderings ultimately convey the same idea. Although they may seem different in modern English, their intended meaning remains consistent.
Mar 14:15
And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”: Jesus goes into great detail with the disciples to prove that He is God. It seems that Jesus behaved like this all throughout His ministry because we're given multiple examples of Jesus knowing things He couldn't have known as a human. This room spoken of here is the room everyone knows of where Jesus and the disciples have "the last supper." It is important to understand that this meal was the Passover meal because Jesus was the Passover lamb to be sacrificed for our sins. Jesus met all the requirements, was sacrificed, and became the propitiation for our sins, the perfect atoning sacrifice. Our sins are passed over thanks to Him.
Mar 14:16
And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.: The disciples were likely Peter and John. Jesus again had foreknowledge, proving that He was God. It wasn't just any knowledge either. He had to know that this person would be carrying water, that this person would go to a house where the owner would allow Jesus to not only eat Passover, but prepare the meal as well, and the house would have a room upstairs large enough to host His disciples. All of it was true. An interesting fact here is that Jesus entered Jerusalem on the 10th day (Palm Sunday), and over the next four days, He was scrutinized by religious leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians) and political authorities (Pontius Pilate and Herod), yet no fault was found in Him (Luk 23:4, 1Pe 1:18-19). This met the requirement that the Passover lamb be kept for four days and scrutinized for any blemish.
Mar 14:17
And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.: The Passover lamb was killed at twilight (Exo 12:6), so the meal had to be ready in the evening, the 15th of Nisan, the day of Sedar. There is a debate as to why the synoptic gospels differ from John's gospel in the timelines. To me, the most acceptable answer is that both are correct. There were multiple calendars in use, such as the Essene calendar. There is simply no way to difinitively reconcile the two with the information we have available to us. According to one scholarly article, "the discrepancy lies in a difference in dating between Palestine and the Diaspora. Since the Passover was calculated following the sighting of the new moon (as we shall see below), and since there does not seem to have been a centralised body to endorse one particular calendar at this point (at least as far as we know), diversity could have existed among various Jewish groups."
So the basic timeline was as follows:
1. Jesus's triumphal entry was on 10 Nisan
2. The disciples prepared the Passover meal on 14 Nisan
3. Jesus and the disciples eat the Sedar meal on 15 Nisan, the same night as the meal was prepared
Mar 14:18
And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”: During the Seder meal on 15 Nisan, Jesus again tells the future to His disciples. We all know that this disciple was Judas Iscariot, but I'm sure the disciples had to be shocked to hear this.
Mar 14:19
They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”: It's interesting that the disciples didn't immediately disagree with Jesus. I feel like if I were there, I'd probably defend myself and deny that I would betray Him. It makes me wonder what was going through their minds.
br />Mar 14:20
He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.: It's amazing the specificity of Jesus's foreknowledge. He doesn't just say that He'll be betrayed, but He says it will be one of His disciples. In both Matthew and John, Jesus specifically names Judas Iscariot (Mat 26:20-25, Joh 13:26-27).
Mar 14:21
For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”: Jesus says that He must go as it is written of Him because the Bible predicts His suffering and dying in our place. The two most famous scriptures are Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. Here we also see that Jesus thinks it would have been better for Judas if he hadn't been born. Why would He say something like that? Because Judas had chosen the god of this world over the real true God. That choice is an eternal choice, and one that everyone who rejects Jesus will have to live with in the end. Those who believe go to Heaven and those who don't go to Hell. It's simple, but those who choose not to believe will wish they hadn't been born. However, there are indications that punishment will vary according to each person's knowledge: Luk 12:47-48, Mat 11:20-24, Rom 2:5-6, Heb 10:29. Jesus is a righteous judge and will deal with each person accordingly. If someone has never heard of Jesus, God will deal with them justly.
Mar 14:22
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”: God doesn't change. Just as He did with the Israelites, Jesus institutes a reminder for us so that we won't forget what He did for us. The bread that He broke is to remind us of His broken body on the cross. Not surprisingly, there is division among the church over how we should do this in remembrance. Some people argue that the wafer has to be unleavened, while some say it doesn't matter. Some say the wine has to be wine and not grape juice. Some even believe through transubstantiation that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus. I think they all miss the point. We're supposed to be doing this in rememberance of Jesus's sacrifice, not following some ritual. Would a biscuit from Popeyes be fine as the bread? Of course. How about a bottle of sparkling apple cider as the wine? Of course. It's doing this in rememberance that matters, not following some human enforced ritualistic practice. That's everything Jesus continually confronted the religious leaders on during His ministry. They had lost the spirit of the law and introduced their own interpretations and enforced man-made rules over what God had told them, completely erasing the spirit of the law. The practices were more works-based instead of faith-based. We have to be very careful not to overwrite the intention with rules and regulations.
Mar 14:23
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.: Notice the general idea here. The specific drink wasn't mentioned, nor the type of cup. Jesus simply took a glass of wine from the Sedar meal and passed it around for all of them to drink from. Some even argue that we should drink from the same cup because they did. Again, they're missing the point. We're to do this in rememberance of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross for us. It isn't even prescribed how often we're to do this. We can sit at home with our family and do this in rememberance. It's the spirit of the act, not the ritualistic practices.
Mar 14:24
And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.: We should see the connection here between the blood and the wine. Jesus's suffering was tremendous and He bled profusely. We drink this to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. Now, does it matter if you drink wine or not? No. It's the spirit of rememberance that matters.
Mar 14:25
Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”: Jesus says that He won't drink wine again until He comes back and sets up His earthly kingdom. This will be after the tribulation, when Jesus returns to earth with the heavenly hosts (Revelation 19).
Mar 14:26
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.: They likely sang the Hallel, which consists of Psalms 113-118.
Mar 14:27
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’: Jesus is quoting Zec 13:7 here. He obviously can't mean that they will fall away for good because they all become apostles and spread the good news. But when Jesus is crucified, they don't know what to do and were doubting. They fled, and even denied association with Jesus.
Mar 14:28
But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”: Jesus not only predicts that He will die, but that He will be resurrected after. In Mar 16:1-7, we see the fulfillment of this prediction when the angel in the tomb tells Mary that Jesus went to Galilee. Galilee is about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. The disciples don't immediately leave for Galilee, but wait for over a week. After Jesus appears to them twice, they go to Galilee.
Mar 14:29
Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”: I think most of us are like Peter. Our hearts are in the right place, and we'll even believe our own bluster, but when we're put on the spot, we crumble.
Mar 14:30
And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”: Another prediction from Jesus. When you read this, you have to read it lovingly. Jesus didn't say this angrily, as could be read into this, but He simply states fact. We see this prediction fulfilled in this same chapter (Mar 14:66-72). Mark's gospel is the only gospel that mentions the rooster crowing twice. The story still holds true, as the point is that Peter would betray Jesus by denying Him three times before the rooster crows.
Mar 14:31
But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.: Of course, Peter gets defensive and denies what Jesus says. I'm sure that Peter believed what he said too. And of course, the other disciples don't think they'll deny Jesus either.
Mar 14:32
And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”: Gethsemane means oil press. This was the name of an olive-yard at the base of the Mount of Olives. As we had seen in other places, Jesus doesn't include all of the disciples. He tells eight of them to wait (Judas had already left).
Mar 14:33
And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.: Peter, James and John were the disciples that Jesus brought with him all the time. They were the favorite of the disciples. There's no real explanation why they were favored, but Peter did have a lot of faith, as demonstrated by things like identifying Jesus as the Christ (Mar 8:27-29), or walking on water (Mat 14:22-33). James and John were given the nickname "sons of thunder." Possibly because of their zeal and faith (Luk 9:54).
Mar 14:34
And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”: The word translated soul here is the same word translated life in Joh 10:17. The reason is that the greek word psuche is all encompassing, including soul, mind, body, breath, etc. So when Jesus says in John that He lays down His life willingly, He is not just talking about the physical body. Jesus is saying that His entire being is sorrowful. He was about to put the sin of the whole of creation upon Himself. There's no way we can possibly understand this level of sorrow. The perfect being was going to become sin (2Co 5:21), taking upon Himself the sins of the world. Jesus's offering of His soul was predicted in Isa 53:10. I asked ChatGPT to translate the Hebrew into Greek, referencing the Strong's concordance, and found that if you translate the Hebrew word for soul נַפְשׁוֹ (nafshō - H5315) into Greek, you would use the same word ἡ ψυχὴ (hē psychē - G5590) that Jesus uses here and in John 10:17. The significance is staggering. Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would offer His entire being as the sacrifice for our sins, and here, Jesus confirms it. His sacrifice wasn't just a physical sacrifice, but His entire being. This means that it wasn't just our physical bodies that were corrupted, but our entire being. We needed a savior who could cover not only our physical corruption, but our soul as well. In this is the explanation of what Paul said in Heb 10:1-4.
Mar 14:35
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.: Jesus goes a bit away from the three and prostrates Himself to begin asking God that if it's possible to remove the sins of the world any other way than having to suffer like He is about to, then to let it be.
This verse is used a lot by Muslims to make the claim that Jesus was a Muslim. The claim is that Jesus fell on his face (prostrated) just like Muslims do when they pray. When they make this claim, just have them read the next verse where Jesus prays to God and calls Him Abba (daddy). Allah (the Muslim god) is not a father in any sense, so Jesus couldn't have been a Muslim.
Mar 14:36
And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”: This is what Jesus actually said when He prostrated in the previous verse. He is asking the Father that if there is any other way aside from Him suffering on the cross to reconcile creation back to God, then to do it. There was no other way, as we see Jesus suffering and dying on the cross for our sins.
In this, we can see normal interactions between ourselves and the Father. Jesus prayed, and there was no direct answer. The answer came in that there was no deviation from what Jesus knew was to come. We should approach life in the same manner. We pray to the Father, the Holy Spirit presents the prayer as something in God's will, and Jesus intercedes on our behalf. The prayer is received and we should proceed with life believing that our prayer was received. God will make the way forward, so we should proceed, simply relying on God to provide the path, and understanding that God will also make known to us if we're making a decision outside the path that He planned. We need to be constantly listening for the Spirit to guide us. The Spirit makes known to us the path. Rom 8:1-9 and Rom 8:26-30 explain that we who have the Spirit in us live according to the Spirit. We just need to have faith that we are on the path that God has for us. It's so different for everyone. We need to understand that our path is set for us, and the Spirit will let us know when we deviate.
Mar 14:37
And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?: The disciples clearly didn't understand what was happening. If they understood, there'd be no possible way for them to sleep. Earlier, Peter has boasted about his steadfast devotion to Jesus, so Jesus calls Peter on it. He is basically saying, "Earlier, you said you'd die with me, yet you can't even stay awake for an hour?"
Mar 14:38
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”: Jesus explains that He wants them not only to watch, but pray. Before, Jesus had just told them to watch, but they couldn't, just for one hour. Jesus knew they were going to deny Him, and He was telling them to pray for strength against the temptation of denying Him because He was soon going to be arrested. Jesus knew that out of fear (the weakness of our flesh), the disciples would deny Him. Peter believed his own bluster, but Jesus knew their weakness.
Mar 14:39
And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.: God doesn't have any problem with us repeating prayer. Luk 18:1-8 makes this clear. In fact, it seems to be encouraged.
Mar 14:40
And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.: Even though Jesus had told them to watch and pray, the disciples weren't able to. They were tired and fell asleep. Apparently, they didn't want to, but were so tired that they fell asleep unwillingly.
Mar 14:41
And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.: It looks like Jesus had gone back a third time and prayed again to see if there was any other way besides Him having to suffer. When He came back, the disciples were still sleeping. This time though, was the last. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to be sacrificed.
Mar 14:42
And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.: While Jesus was still telling the disciples that He was going to be betrayed, Judas showed up with a large group from the Sanhedrin. Earlier during the Passover meal, after Jesus had named Judas as His betrayer, Judas left to take the Sanhedrin to where Jesus would be.
Mar 14:43
Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.”: This is dispicable. I can't think of how to betray someone in a worse way. Jesus was clearly no threat, and Judas knew that he didn't have anything to fear. So little to fear that he knew he could even approach Jesus and kiss him.
Mar 14:44
And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him.: Rabbi means master. The KJV even translates this with Master. It's a title for great teachers. John the Baptist was called Rabbi (Joh 3:26). Now, Judas, after arranging the betrayal with the Sanhedrin earlier for 30 pieces of silver (Mat 26:14-16), executes the plan. The reason why the Sanhedrin went through Judas was because they didn't want to cause a revolt when they arrested Jesus. The people believed He was a prophet, and some believed He was the Messiah. Judas would take them to Him when He was alone, and then, because Jesus was just an average guy and they didn't want one of the disciples to act like they were Jesus and arrest the wrong person, Judas would identify Jesus by kissing Him on the cheek. Another reason they chose this time was most people had eaten the Passover meal with family, so were at home celebrating for the week.
Mar 14:45
And they laid hands on him and seized him.: The seething hatred came to fruition and overrode any sense. They were arresting Him because Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, yet they could find no reason to deny it. They were also concerned that Jesus was gaining popularity and could cause the Romans to take away Israel's autonomy (Joh 11:47-50). Overall though, they were really angry because Jesus had called them out for their hipocracy (Mat 23:1-36) and cut into their money making schemes by cleansing the temple (Mat 21:12).
Mar 14:46
But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.: This person who stood by was Peter, and the servant was Malchus (Joh 18:10). It's not mentioned here, but Jesus also put the ear back on (Luk 22:50-51).
Mar 14:47
And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?: There was no need for these people to come at Jesus like this. He had done nothing for these people to think he was aggressive in any way. They were trying to make it appear like they were arresting someone so aggressive that they needed this many people.
Mar 14:48
Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.”: Jesus is asking, "If I'm so dangerous, why didn't you do anything while I was with you in the temple?" But Jesus knew He had to be numbered with the transgressors, as Isa 53:12 says.
Mar 14:49
And they all left him and fled.: Zec 13:7 says, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones." This was another prophecy that Jesus fulfilled.
Mar 14:50
And they all left him and fled.: Zec 13:7 says, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones." This was another prophecy that Jesus fulfilled.
Mar 14:51
And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,: Nobody is certain who this young man was, but it most probably was Mark saying indirectly that he witnessed these events himself. It's similar to how Paul said he knew someone that went to the third heaven, when he was speaking of himself (2Co 12:2-5).
Mar 14:52
but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.: Apparently, the Sanhedrin tried to grab this young man (probably Mark), but he was able to get away by wriggling out of his garment.
Mar 14:53
And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.: The high priest at the time was Caiaphas. They were breaking multiple laws to accuse Jesus of breaking the law: Coming together at night; Having the trial at Caiaphas's house; Conducting the trial during Passover. Sad how all of the supposed religious people came against the Savior of the World. However, I'm not looking down on these people. I'm certain that if Jesus had chosen any time or place in history, the same would have happened. We're all rotten to the core and it's not like these people were so different from us. We just benefit from hindsight, grace, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Mar 14:54
And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.: This does seem pretty bold. Jesus had just been arrested, during which Peter cut off the ear of Malchus.
Mar 14:55
Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.: They weren't seeking truthful testimony. Mat 26:59-60 states that they were actively seeking false testimony. This doesn't mean that they were bribing people, but knowing that later they bribed the Roman guards who were guarding Jesus's body (Mat 28:12-15), it's certainly a possibility.
Mar 14:56
For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.: Even though they sought testimony, they couldn't even get the people to agree on it. The false testimonies were prophecied in Psa 35:11, Psa 27:12, and Psa 109:2-3.
Mar 14:57
And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,: Witnesses had to stand when they gave testimony.
Mar 14:58
“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”: This is false because that's not what Jesus said. Jesus was talking about His own body being destroyed and then resurrected (Joh 2:13-22). They were twisting His words.
Mar 14:59
Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.: It's not explained how they differed, but multiple commentaries explain that it just wasn't enough to convict Jesus on. In my opinion, there's no reason to doubt what Mark wrote in Mar 14:58. He summarized their testimonies and didn't record their actual words.
Mar 14:60
And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”: Jesus doesn't answer these false claims, in fulfillment of Isa 53:7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."
Mar 14:61
But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”: When Jesus doesn't answer, Caiaphas decides to just come out and ask what He already knew. This is an interesting question, because it means that Caiaphas knew the Messiah would be the Son of God. Earlier, the scribes had said the Messiah was the son of David (Mar 12:35-37). This means that the religious leaders were deliberately concealing that the Messiah would be God. This question was also a trap. If Jesus answers, it's blasphemy.
Mar 14:62
And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”: Jesus could have chosen not to answer, but He knew He needed to fulfill the prophecies of the suffering servant (Isa 53:3-9). He waited until this time to declare that He was the Messiah so there would be no confusion. He wasn't here to establish an earthly kingdom this time. For now, He would be seated at the right hand of the Father, then would return with the clouds of heaven (Psa 110:1, Dan 7:13-14).
Mar 14:63
And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?: The tearing of his garments was a ridiculous display of supposed outrage on Caiaphus's part. In the Jewish culture, people would tear their clothes out a display of anguish or outrage. It was more of a signal to those around him than anything.
Mar 14:64
You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.: What was worthy of Caiaphas tearing his clothes? Jesus supposedly committing blasphemy, an offense worthy of death. These priests knew that the Messiah was God, and by Jesus saying He was the Messiah, Jesus was claiming to be God.
There were other reasons why the Sanhedrin were worried as well. They were worried of the political implications of someone being called the Messiah because that implied kingship and the Romans wouldn't go for that. The Sanhedrin didn't want to lose power either, and the Messiah was prophesied to set up an earthly kingdom (Isa 9:6-7, Isa 11:1-10, Jer 23:5-6).
Mar 14:65
And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.: This can only be described as Satanic frenzy. Even today, to spit on someone shows utter contempt. To cover someone's face and then punch them removes the body's natural defensive mechanism of pulling the punches, so they aren't softened. They did this and mocked Him, telling Jesus to prophecy where the punches would come from. This is a scene of utter depravity.
Mar 14:66
And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came,: Peter was still sitting next to the fire where he had followed Jesus to in the courtyard (Mar 14:54).
Mar 14:67
and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”: While not explicitly said, it's very probable that this woman was trying to get Peter arrested as well.
Mar 14:68
But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed.: And as most of us would have done, Peter denied knowing Jesus. The crowd was in a frenzied state, beating Jesus, and Peter didn't want any part of it. Leaving the courtyard, the rooster crowed. This is the only Gospel account where this happened. To me, this actually lends credence to the story because Mark is telling what he witnessed, corroborating his account with what Peter filled him in on. Mark wasn't there for all of the gospel account, but put that anecdote in Mar 14:51-52 to add weight to his testimony because he was there for at least part of Jesus's arrest.
Mar 14:69
And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.”: This is proof that she was trying to get Peter arrested. She followed him and began telling people that Peter was one of Jesus's disciples.
Mar 14:70
But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”: For the second time, Peter denied that he knew Jesus. But this time, not only did the woman make the claim, but the bystanders joined in. Jesus had preached most often in the region of Galilee, and Peter was from Bethsaida, in Galilee (Joh 1:44).
Mar 14:71
But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.”: Peter might have said something like, "May God strike me dead if I am lying!" or "Let me be cursed if I know Him!"
Mar 14:72
And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.: It probably hadn't registered with Peter the first time that the rooster had crowed, but the second time, it hit him hard. It was just as Jesus had said. Peter broke down and cried because he had betrayed Jesus, believing that he was strong enough to die with Him. I'm sure Peter was filled with tremendous shame. I have felt like this too before, fairly reently, when I realized that my behavior was betraying the name of Jesus. We are such corrupted creatures, that we don't even realize we're doing these things until the Spirit makes it clear. At that point, we need to repent. Peter was restored by Jesus in Joh 21:15-19.
No comments:
Post a Comment