Mark 14:54

54 And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire].

Mark 14:54 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 14:54

And Peter followed him afar off
And did another disciple, perhaps John; ( John 18:15 ) , who having somewhat recovered themselves from their fright, turned back, and followed Jesus, and the company that led him away; keeping at some distance, that they might not be observed, and exposed to danger; and proceeded till they came to Jerusalem, and to the place where the sanhedrim were convened; and the other disciple went in along with Jesus; and Peter afterwards, by his means, got in:

even into the palace of the high priest;
being let in by her that kept the door, at the motion of the other disciple

and he sat with the servants;
as if he was one of them, and had no concern with Jesus:

and warmed himself at the fire;
or "light", as the Greek word signifies, and answers to the Hebrew word (rwa) , by which both: light and fire are expressed; of which, take an instance or two, in the room of many F7:

``a murderer that strikes, his neighbour with a stone, or with iron, and plunges him into water, or into (rwah) , "fire", so that he cannot get out, and dies, is guilty.''

Again F8, a

``book which (rwah) , "fire", takes hold upon on one side, he puts, water on the other; and if it is quenched, it is quenched; if the "fire" takes hold on both sides, he opens it, and reads in it; and if it is quenched, it is quenched: a cloak which "fire" takes hold upon on one side, he puts water on the other side; and if it is quenched, it is quenched; if the "fire" takes hold on it on both sides, he takes, it and wraps himself in it, and if it is quenched, it is quenched.''

So we read F9 of (Mnhyg lv rwa) , "the fire of hell"; and Ur of the Chaldees has its name from the fire, that was worshipped there, as a symbol of the sun: and fire was the (rwa) , or "light", created on the first day, ( Genesis 1:3 ) ; (See Gill on Matthew 26:58).


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Misn. Sanhedrin, c 9. sect 1.
F8 T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 15. 4. & T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 120. 1. Vid. Misn. Avoda Zara, c. 5. sect. 12.
F9 T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 27. 1.

Mark 14:54 In-Context

52 but he, leaving the linen cloth behind [him], fled from them naked.
53 And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.
54 And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire].
55 And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find [any].
56 For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.