Mark 14:65

65 And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

Mark 14:65 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 14:65

And some began to spit on him
The men that held him, ( Luke 22:6 ) , fulfilling the prophecy in ( Isaiah 50:6 ) ;

and to cover his face;
with a veil, or linen cloth, to blindfold: him, as a person unworthy to behold the light: or rather, in order to make sport with him:

and to buffet him;
with their double fists;

and to say unto him, prophesy.
The Arabic version adds, "unto us, O Christ, who it is that hath buffeted thee now?" that gave thee the last blow? and to the same purpose the Ethiopic. The Persic version adds, "and deliver thyself";

and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
The Syriac version renders it, "on his cheeks": they gave him slaps on the face. These were the officers of the high priest, that used him in this indecent manner. This clause is omitted in the Ethiopic version.

Mark 14:65 In-Context

63 And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses?
64 Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
65 And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
66 And Peter being below in the palace-court, there comes one of the maids of the high priest,
67 and seeing Peter warming himself, having looked at him, says, And *thou* wast with the Nazarene, Jesus.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Many read, 'received him with buffets.' The sense is the same. Some of the doctors 'began to spit on him;' the officers received him with these insults, another step in the scene of his blessed humiliation: see Note, Matt. 26.67.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.