Mark 14

(Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46)

32-33 Telling His other eight disciples, “Sit here while I pray,” Jesus took His chief disciples, Peter, James, and John (Mark 5:37; 9:2), to a separate place in the garden of Gethsemane. Then He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. This was not because He was afraid of death or pain, but because He was about to be separated from God for a period. He was about to receive God’s full wrath against sinful mankind. He was about to take on Himself the punishment for our sins, so that we who believe in Him might be saved from the wrath of God and receive salvation (see Mark 10:45 and comment).

34 My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow. Here we can see that Jesus was indeed not only God but also fully human. He desired the support and comfort of His three closest disciples in His sorrow. He said to them, “Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).

35-36 Jesus Himself experienced every temptation known to man (Hebrews 4:15). But He experienced much more. We can never know the agony He endured. He was the sinless man who stood in our place and received the punishment for our sin, which was death and separation from God (Romans 6:23). Christ was a sin offering for us (Romans 8:3). The sinless Son of God was made … to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9), so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14). Christ, by His death, has made possible the salvation of all who come to Him in faith (Romans 5:8-10).

At first Jesus asked that the hour—that is, His death and separation from God—might pass from Him. He asked God if there wasn’t another way to save men—surely God could find another way if He chose to. “Abba,¹⁰⁵ Father,” He said, “everything is possible for you.”

Jesus prayed, “Take this cup from me.” The cup was the “cup” of God’s wrath (Isaiah 51:17; Mark 10:38). It was Christ’s own desire that He not die on the cross. Even though Christ was God’s Son, His own human desire was different from God’s desire. Therefore, He prayed to God that He might be spared. But having prayed that, He submitted to God’s will: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” By submitting to God’s will, Jesus gained victory over Satan; He overcame the temptation to avoid death. In this, Jesus has given us an example to follow, that we also in all things might seek to do God’s will and not our own.

37-38 While Christ was praying, the disciples had fallen asleep. They should have been watching with Him, praying for Him and for themselves, so that Satan would not come upon them unawares. Many years later Peter, in his first letter, warned Christians that Satan was like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour; therefore, they must remain self-controlled and alert (1 Peter 5:8). But in the garden of Gethsemane Peter fell asleep and soon fell prey to Satan (see verses 6672). Not only Peter, but all the other disciples likewise deserted [Jesus] and fled (verse 50).

Today Jesus continues to say to every believer: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (see Matthew 6:13). How often we are spiritually asleep, even though our bodies are awake! How many times each day do we pray? How often do we think of Jesus? In order to overcome Satan, we must watch and pray. Our human spirits are willing to watch with Jesus, but our bodies are weak (verse 38). Even Peter, James, and John—fishermen who had passed many sleepless nights in their boats on the Sea of Galilee—could not stay awake with Jesus. They had said they would die for Jesus (verse 31); but when the time of testing came, they could not even watch with Jesus for one hour. The saying is true that it is easier to die for Jesus than it is to live for him!

39-40 Two more times Jesus went apart to pray. An angel from heaven appeared to him and stengthened him (Luke 22:43). His anguish was so great that His sweat fell in great drops, like drops of blood (Luke 22:44).

41-42 Each time Jesus came back, He found the disciples sleeping. Then He saw that Judas and a great crowd sent from the Jewish leaders had arrived to seize Him. “Rise! Let us go!” He said to His disciples. He did not mean that they should flee, but that they should go and meet their enemies.

(Matthew 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11)

43 As soon as Judas and the crowd appeared, Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” (John 18:4). When they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth,” He said, “I am he.” And when He had said that, they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:5-6). In some way, the crowd knew that Jesus was not an ordinary man. When He said, “I am he,” they were filled with dread.

Then, according to John 18:8-9, Jesus told the crowd to let His disciples go free. The crowd obeyed. In this way, the words of Jesus in John 6:39 and 7:12 were fulfilled.

44-47 Then Jesus’ own disciple Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. The crowd seized Jesus. And then Peter woke up! He suddenly realized what was happening. He sprang into action. But what did he do? Something stupid. He cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest (John 18:10). Peter, the chief disciple, was either asleep and doing nothing for God; or he was awake and doing something opposed to God. Peter still could not understand that it was God’s plan that Jesus should suffer and die.

Then Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man’s severed ear (Luke 22:51). Then He told Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52). That is, violence always leads to violence. If at that time the disciples had tried to fight the crowd, they would all have been killed. Jesus does not teach here that in every situation it is wrong to draw the sword; Jesus was only talking about the situation at that moment. We know that there have been many instances when those who have drawn the sword have not died.¹⁰⁶

Then Jesus reminded Peter that if God had wanted to rescue Him, He could have at once sent twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53-54). But that was not God’s plan. God didn’t need Peter’s help to accomplish His purpose. And it is good for us to remember that He doesn’t need our help either. None of us is indispensable. Whether we serve Him or not, He is able to fulfill His purpose. However, it is also true that He has chosen to fulfill many of His purposes through weak and failing human beings like Peter—and us.

48-49 But the Scriptures must be fulfilled. According to the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12, Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. Therefore, the crowd had come at night with swords and clubs, as if Jesus had been an outlaw leading a re-bel6lion.

50 When the disciples finally saw there was no hope, they all deserted Jesus and fled (see verse 27). This short verse is one of the saddest verses in the New Testament. But at the same time, it is one of the greatest proofs that Jesus rose from the dead. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, no one would ever have heard from these disciples again. Christianity would have ended right at this verse!

51-52 One young man fled naked, leaving his garment in the hands of the crowd. Many Bible scholars believe that this young man was Mark himself, the writer of this Gospel. They also believe that Mark was the son of the owner of the house where Jesus ate His last supper (verse 14).

(Matthew 26:57-68; Luke 22:63-71)

53  According to John’s Gospel, the crowd included soldiers and officers of the Jews (John 18:3,12). They brought Jesus first to Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest (see John 18:13-14,19-24). Then they brought Him to the high priest, Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57).

54  Peter followed at a distance. He followed not out of loyalty to Jesus, but out of curiosity. According to Matthew 26:58, he entered the courtyard of Caiaphas and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

55-56 The Jewish leaders met at Caiaphas’ house in the middle of the night. Then, at daybreak, the whole Sanhedrin—that is, the council of the elders of the people (Luke 22:66)—met together. This council consisted of seventy members and was the governing body of the Jews. It held authority over all religious matters that concerned the Jewish nation.

The Sanhedrin tried to find two witnesses who agreed in their charge against Christ. According to Jewish law, a man had to be accused by at least two witnesses before he could be judged guilty (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). But two witnesses who agreed could not be found; the charges of the witnesses conflicted with each other. Therefore, they could not be accepted as evidence against Jesus.

57-59 Then some witnesses falsely accused Jesus of having said, “I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another.” They were misquoting Jesus. Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). But Jesus had not been talking about the temple in Jerusalem; He had been talking about the “temple” of His body (John 2:21-22).

To threaten to destroy the temple was a very serious crime in the Jews’ eyes (see Acts 6:12-14). But even though the charge was serious, the witnesses did not agree about exactly what Jesus had said (verse 59).

60-61 The high priest then began to question Jesus, but Jesus at first remained silent. He did not defend Himself against the charges (Mark 15:3-5; 1 Peter 2:23). He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

Unable to find an accusation that two witnesses agreed on, the high priest decided to ask Jesus outright if He was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One—that is, the Son of God.

62 Jesus answered, “I am.” According to Matthew 26:64, Jesus said, “Yes, it is as you say.” Some versions of the Bible translate this: “You have said so,” which is a literal translation of a Jewish expression meaning “Yes.”¹⁰⁷

Here Jesus for the first time publicly acknowledged that He was the Messiah. But He was not the kind of Messiah that the high priest supposed. He was not just a miracle worker who could tear down a building and build it up in three days. He was the true Messiah, sent from God to save Israel from her sins. And though He was now a prisoner, the high priest and other Jewish leaders would one day see Him sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One (God) and coming on the clouds of heaven (see Daniel 7:13; Mark 13:26).

Notice in this verse that Jesus identified Himself both as the Son of God and as the Son of Man (see Mark 1:1; 2:10 and comments). He is indeed both fully God and fully man together. He is God come to earth in the form of a man. He is the one true incarnation of the living God (see General Article: Jesus Christ).

63-64 For a man to claim to be God—or the Son of God—was a crime worthy of death according to Jewish law (see John 5:18 and comment). Jesus had confessed to the high priest that He was the Son of the Blessed One—that is, the Son of God, the Messiah, Christ. For Jesus even to claim to be the Messiah was an offense to the Jewish leaders. It was clear to them that this man could not be the Messiah. They expected that the Messiah would appear as a mighty king, not a humble prisoner! Jesus was obviously lying. He was a blasphemer. Therefore, the Jews condemned Him to death. No other evidence was necessary. Jesus had condemned Himself!

The high priest tore his clothes. Among the Jews, tearing one’s clothes was a sign of the sorrow and anger one felt on hearing someone blaspheme God (Acts 14:14).

The Jewish leaders themselves could not carry out the death sentence. Only the Roman governor could authorize someone to be executed. Therefore, the Jews determined to hand Jesus over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor at that time (Mark 15:1).

65 Then the Jewish officials and the soldiers began to abuse Jesus. They blindfolded Him, hit Him, and then said to Him, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Tell us: Who hit you?” (Matthew 26:67-68).

(Matthew 26:69-75; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18,25-27)

66 According to John 18:15-16, another disciple had come with Peter to the house of the high priest. This other disciple, because he was acquainted with the high priest, was able to obtain permission for Peter to come into the courtyard.

67-69 The first servant girl who recognized Peter also told others, “This fellow is one of them” (verse 69). Then a second servant girl also said that Peter had been with Jesus (Matthew 26:71).

70 Then others recognized Peter’s accent. Peter was from the northern province of Galilee, and the people of Galilee spoke with a distinct accent. One man, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, also accused Peter of having been with Jesus (John 18:26).

71  For the third time, Peter denied that he knew Jesus. He began to call down curses on himself. That is, he said, “If I am lying, may I be cursed.”

72  Then the rooster crowed twice. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter (Luke 22:61). Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said (verse 30). And he went outside and wept bitterly (Luke 22:62).

It was said by an ancient writer that for the rest of his life, whenever Peter heard a rooster crow, he wept, because he remembered the night he denied his Lord. After that night, Peter never denied his Lord again.