Mark 14:54

54 1And 2Peter had followed him at a distance, 3right into 4the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with 5the guards and 6warming himself at 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 left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
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.
55 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.
56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

Cross References 6

  • 1. [See ver. 53 above]
  • 2. [John 18:15]
  • 3. [ver. 68]
  • 4. See Matthew 26:3
  • 5. John 7:32; John 18:3
  • 6. ver. 67; John 18:18
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