Mark 14

1 It was now two days before Pesach (that is, the festival of Matzah), and the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers were trying to find some way to arrest Yeshua surreptitiously and have him put to death;

2 for they said, "Not during the festival, or the people will riot."

3 While he was in Beit-Anyah in the home of Shim`on (a man who had had tzara`at), and as he was eating, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfume, pure oil of nard, very costly. She broke the jar and poured the perfume over Yeshua's head.

4 But some there angrily said to themselves, "Why this waste of perfume?

5 It could have been sold for a year's wages and given to the poor!" And they scolded her.

6 But he said, "Let her be. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me.

7 For you will always have the poor with you; and whenever you want to, you can help them. But you will not always have me.

8 What she could do, she did do -- in advance she poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.

9 Yes! I tell you that wherever in the whole world this Good News is proclaimed, what she has done will be told in her memory."

10 Then Y'hudah from K'riot, who was one of the Twelve, went to the head cohanim in order to betray Yeshua to them.

11 They were pleased to hear this and promised to give him money. And he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Yeshua.

12 On the first day for matzah, when they slaughtered the lamb for Pesach, Yeshua's talmidim asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare your Seder?"

13 He sent two of his talmidim with these instructions: "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him;

14 and whichever house he enters, tell him that the Rabbi says, `Where is the guest room for me, where I am to eat the Pesach meal with my talmidim?'

15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations there."

16 The talmidim went off, came to the city and found things just as he had told them they would be; and they prepared the Seder.

17 When evening came, Yeshua arrived with the Twelve.

18 As they were reclining and eating, Yeshua said, "Yes! I tell you that one of you is going to betray me."

19 They became upset and began asking him, one after the other, "You don't mean me, do you?"

20 "It's one of the Twelve," he said to them, "someone dipping matzah in the dish with me.

21 For the Son of Man will die, just as the Tanakh says he will; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him had he never been born!"

22 While they were eating, Yeshua took a piece of matzah, made the b'rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, "Take it! This is my body."

23 Also he took a cup of wine, made the b'rakhah, and gave it to them; and they all drank.

24 He said to them, "This is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many people.

25 Yes! I tell you, I will not drink this `fruit of the vine' again until the day I drink new wine in the Kingdom of God."

26 After singing the Hallel, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 Yeshua said to them, "You will all lose faith in me, for the Tanakh says, `I will strike the shepherd dead, and the sheep will be scattered.'

28 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into the Galil."

29 Kefa said to him, "Even if everyone else loses faith in you, I won't."

30 Yeshua replied, "Yes! I tell you that this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times!"

31 But Kefa kept insisting, "Even if I must die with you, I will never disown you!" And they all said the same thing.

32 They went to a place called Gat Sh'manim; and Yeshua said to his talmidim, "Sit here while I pray."

33 He took with him Kefa, Ya`akov and Yochanan. Great distress and anguish came over him;

34 and he said to them, "My heart is so filled with sadness that I could die! Remain here and stay awake."

35 Going on a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from him:

36 "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!") "All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me! Still, not what I want, but what you want."

37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Kefa, "Shim`on, are you asleep? Couldn't you stay awake one hour?

38 Stay awake, and pray that you will not be put to the test -- the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak."

39 Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words;

40 and again he came and found them sleeping, their eyes were so very heavy; and they didn't know what to answer him.

41 The third time, he came and said to them, "For now, go on sleeping, take your rest. . . .There, that's enough! The time has come! Look! The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners!

42 Get up! Let's go! Here comes my betrayer!"

43 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y'hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim, the Torah-teachers and the elders.

44 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: "The man I kiss is the one you want. Grab him, and take him away under guard."

45 As he ar ived, he went right up to Yeshua, said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

46 Then they laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him;

47 but one of the people standing nearby drew his sword and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear.

48 Yeshua addressed them: "So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion?

49 Every day I was with you in the Temple court, teaching, and you didn't seize me then! But let the Tanakh be fulfilled."

50 And they all deserted him and ran away.

51 There was one young man who did try to follow him; but he was wearing only a nightshirt; and when they tried to seize him,

52 he slipped out of the nightshirt and ran away naked.

53 They led Yeshua to the cohen hagadol, with whom all the head cohanim, elders and Torah-teachers were assembling.

54 Kefa followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the cohen hagadol, where he sat down with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.

55 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin tried to find evidence against Yeshua, so that they might have him put to death, but they couldn't find any.

56 For many people gave false evidence against him, but their testimonies didn't agree.

57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony:

58 "We heard him say, `I will destroy this Temple made with hands; and in three days I will build another one, not made with hands.'"

59 Even so, their testimonies didn't agree.

60 The cohen hagadol stood up in the front and asked Yeshua, "Have you nothing to say to the accusations these men are making?"

61 But he remained silent and made no reply. Again the cohen hagadol questioned him: "Are you the Mashiach, Ben-HaM'vorakh?"

62 "I AM," answered Yeshua. "Moreover, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG'vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven."

63 At this, the cohen hagadol tore his clothes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses?

64 You heard him blaspheme! What is your decision?" And they all declared him guilty and subject to the death penalty.

65 Then some began spitting at him; and after blindfolding him, they started pounding him with their fists and saying to him, "Let's see you prophesy!" And as the guards took him, they beat him too.

66 Meanwhile, Kefa was still in the courtyard below. One of the serving girls of the cohen hagadol

67 saw Kefa warming himself, took a look at him, and said, "You were with the man from Natzeret, Yeshua!"

68 But he denied it, saying, "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about!" He went outside into the entryway, and a rooster crowed.

69 The girl saw him there and started telling the bystanders, "This fellow is one of them."

70 Again he denied it. A little later, the bystanders themselves said to Kefa, "You must be one of them, because you're from the Galil."

71 At this he began to invoke a curse on himself as he swore, "I do not know this man you are telling me about!" --

72 and immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Kefa remembered what Yeshua had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times." And throwing himself down, he burst into tears.

Mark 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Christ anointed at Bethany. (1-11) The passover, Jesus declares that Judas would betray him. (12-21) The Lord's supper instituted. (22-31) Christ's agony in the garden. (32-42) He is betrayed and taken. (43-52) Christ before the high priest. (53-65) Peter denies Christ. (66-72)

Verses 1-11 Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; and remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particular acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's pious attention to the notice of believers in all ages. Those who honour Christ he will honour. Covetousness was Judas' master lust, and that betrayed him to the sin of betraying his Master; the devil suited his temptation to that, and so conquered him. And see what wicked contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits; but what appears to forward their plans, will prove curses in the end.

Verses 12-21 Nothing could be less the result of human foresight than the events here related. But our Lord knows all things about us before they come to pass. If we admit him, he will dwell in our hearts. The Son of man goes, as it is written of him, as a lamb to the slaughter; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! God's permitting the sins of men, and bringing glory to himself out of them, does not oblige them to sin; nor will this be any excuse for their guilt, or lessen their punishment.

Verses 22-31 The Lord's supper is food for the soul, therefore a very little of that which is for the body, as much as will serve for a sign, is enough. It was instituted by the example and the practice of our Master, to remain in force till his second coming. It was instituted with blessing and giving of thanks, to be a memorial of Christ's death. Frequent mention is made of his precious blood, as the price of our redemption. How comfortable is this to poor repenting sinners, that the blood of Christ is shed for many! If for many, why not for me? It was a sign of the conveyance of the benefits purchased for us by his death. Apply the doctrine of Christ crucified to yourselves; let it be meat and drink to your souls, strengthening and refreshing your spiritual life. It was to be an earnest and foretaste of the happiness of heaven, and thereby to put us out of taste for the pleasures and delights of sense. Every one that has tasted spiritual delights, straightway desires eternal ones. Though the great Shepherd passed through his sufferings without one false step, yet his followers often have been scattered by the small measure of sufferings allotted to them. How very apt we are to think well of ourselves, and to trust our own hearts! It was ill done of Peter thus to answer his Master, and not with fear and trembling. Lord, give me grace to keep me from denying thee.

Verses 32-42 Christ's sufferings began with the sorest of all, those in his soul. He began to be sorely amazed; words not used in St. Matthew, but very full of meaning. The terrors of God set themselves in array against him, and he allowed him to contemplate them. Never was sorrow like unto his at this time. Now he was made a curse for us; the curses of the law were laid upon him as our Surety. He now tasted death, in all the bitterness of it. This was that fear of which the apostle speaks, the natural fear of pain and death, at which human nature startles. Can we ever entertain favourable, or even slight thoughts of sin, when we see the painful sufferings which sin, though but reckoned to him, brought on the Lord Jesus? Shall that sit light upon our souls, which sat so heavy upon his? Was Christ in such agony for our sins, and shall we never be in agony about them? How should we look upon Him whom we have pierced, and mourn! It becomes us to be exceedingly sorrowful for sin, because He was so, and never to mock at it. Christ, as Man, pleaded, that, if it were possible, his sufferings might pass from him. As Mediator, he submitted to the will of God, saying, Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt; I bid it welcome. See how the sinful weakness of Christ's disciples returns, and overpowers them. What heavy clogs these bodies of ours are to our souls! But when we see trouble at the door, we should get ready for it. Alas, even believers often look at the Redeemer's sufferings in a drowsy manner, and instead of being ready to die with Christ, they are not even prepared to watch with him one hour.

Verses 43-52 Because Christ appeared not as a temporal prince, but preached repentance, reformation, and a holy life, and directed men's thoughts, and affections, and aims to another world, therefore the Jewish rulers sought to destroy him. Peter wounded one of the band. It is easier to fight for Christ than to die for him. But there is a great difference between faulty disciples and hypocrites. The latter rashly and without thought call Christ Master, and express great affection for him, yet betray him to his enemies. Thus they hasten their own destruction.

Verses 53-65 We have here Christ's condemnation before the great council of the Jews. Peter followed; but the high priest's fire-side was no proper place, nor his servants proper company, for Peter: it was an entrance into temptation. Great diligence was used to procure false witnesses against Jesus, yet their testimony was not equal to the charge of a capital crime, by the utmost stretch of their law. He was asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is, the Son of God. For the proof of his being the Son of God, he refers to his second coming. In these outrages we have proofs of man's enmity to God, and of God's free and unspeakable love to man.

Verses 66-72 Peter's denying Christ began by keeping at a distance from him. Those that are shy of godliness, are far in the way to deny Christ. Those who think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to sin against him. When Christ was admired and flocked after, Peter readily owned him; but will own no relation to him now he is deserted and despised. Yet observe, Peter's repentance was very speedy. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall; and let him that has fallen think of these things, and of his own offences, and return to the Lord with weeping and supplication, seeking forgiveness, and to be raised up by the Holy Spirit.