Mark 14:55

55 And the hye prestes and all ye counsell sought for witnes agaynste Iesu to put him to death and founde noone.

Mark 14:55 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 14:55

And the chief priests, and all the council
Especially the former, who were of all most busy and active in this matter:

sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death;
on which they were determined, right or wrong; in this they went contrary to one of their own canons, which runs thus ^F11:

``in pecuniary causes, they begin either for absolution, or condemnation; but in capital causes, they begin for absolution, and do not begin for condemnation.''

That is, they begun with such evidences as tended to acquit a man, and not with such as served to condemn him; whereas this court was only seeking for such evidence to begin with, that they might condemn Jesus to death:

and found none;
that would answer their purpose; (See Gill on Matthew 26:59).

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 1.

Mark 14:55 In-Context

53 And they leed Iesus awaye to ye hyest preste of all and to him came all the hye prestes and the elders and the scribes.

54 And Peter folowed him a greate waye of even into the pallys of the hye preste and sat with the servauntes and warmed him sylfe at the fyre.

55 And the hye prestes and all ye counsell sought for witnes agaynste Iesu to put him to death and founde noone.

56 Yet many bare falce witnes agaynste him but their witnes aggreed not to geder.

57 And ther aroose certayne and brought falce witnes agaynste him sayinge.