Mark 14

He is anointed by a woman

The Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread was two days away, and the chief priests and the scribes looked for a way to seize him by deceit and put him to death. 2 But they said, “Not on the feast day, or there may be a riot among the people”.

3 And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, sitting at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of fragrant oil of spikenard. It was very valuable, but she broke the jar and poured it on his head. 4 And among them some were indignant, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?

14:4 It was the disciples as a whole who said this (Matt 26:8), and Judas was the foremost in doing so (see also John 12:4-5. This may have been on a different occasion. See note at John 12:2).⚜

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred silver pieces and given to the poor”. And they complained against her.

6 And Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good deed to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want you can do good to them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. 9 Truly I say to you, in the whole world wherever this gospel is preached, what she has done will also be spoken of in memory of her”.

He is betrayed by Judas

10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard this, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he looked for a way to betray him at an opportune time.

14:11 Base betrayal and an opportunity to kill the holiest and best person whoever lived delighted them. Could any word better reveal the total depravity of their character? To do evil reluctantly is one thing, to delight in it is another and far worse thing.⚜

He eats the last Passover with His disciples

12 And on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

13 And he sent off two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 And say to the owner of the house where he enters, “The Teacher says, ‘Where is the guest room where I will eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared. Make preparations for us there”.

14:13-15 Another example of Christ’s ability to see events in their detail which had not yet happened.⚜

16 And his disciples went off, entered the city, and found things just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover. 17 And in the evening he came with the Twelve.

18 And while they were sitting and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, one of you who is eating with me will betray me”.

19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?”

20 And he answered and said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping with me in the bowl. 21 The Son of man indeed is going just as it is written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would be good for that man if he had never been born”.

The new covenant

22 And while they ate, Jesus took bread and blessed it. Then he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body”.

23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

14:24 Matt 26:28 gives the reason for this shedding of Christ’s blood.⚜

25 Truly I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God”.

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will stumble because of me. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I have risen, I will go before you to Galilee”.

29 But Peter said to him, “Even though all stumble, still I will not”.

30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, this day, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times”.

31 But he spoke even more strongly, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not at all deny you”. And they all said the same.

He prays in Gethsemane

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane. Then he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray”.

33 And he took Peter and James and John with him, and began to be very troubled and heavy-hearted. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and keep watch”.

35 And he went a little farther, and prostrated himself on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will”.

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, so that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak”. 39 And again he went off and prayed, and spoke the same words.

40 And when he returned, he found them sleeping again (for their eyes were heavy), and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough. The hour has come. Look, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up. Let us go. See, the one who betrays me is at hand”.

He is arrested

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came. And with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, coming from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 And the one who betrayed him had arranged a signal with them, saying, Whomever I kiss, he is the one. Grab him and lead him away under guard”.

45 And as soon as he came, he went up to him immediately and said, “Rabbi, rabbi!” and kissed him.

46 And they put their hands on him, and seized him. 47 And one of those standing near by drew a sword and struck a servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

48 And Jesus responded and said to them, “Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and clubs to seize me? 49 I was with you daily, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled”.

50 Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.

51 And a certain young man wearing a linen cloth over his naked body, followed him. And the young men seized him. 52 And he ran away from them naked, leaving the linen cloth behind.

14:51-52 Only Mark records this. It is likely that the young man was Mark himself. Otherwise it is very difficult to understand why he mentioned this event.⚜

He stands before the high priest of Israel

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled with him. 54 And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he sat down with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

14:54 Matt 26:58 tells why Peter went into the courtyard.⚜

55 And the chief priests and all the council looked for some testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but did not find any. 56 For many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 Then some men got up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made by hands, and in three days I will build another without hands”.

14:58 This is a twisting of Jesus’ words found in John 2:19. Jesus did not say He would destroy the man-made temple.⚜

59 But not even then did their testimony agree.

60 And the high priest stood up among them and asked Jesus, saying, “Will you give no answer? What is it that these men testify against you?”

61 But he kept silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, saying to him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 And Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven”.

63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What need do we have of any further witnesses? 64 You have heard this blasphemy. What do you think?” And they all condemned him declaring him to be worthy of death.

65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and beat him with fists, and to say to him, “Prophesy”. And the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

He is denied by Peter

66 And while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by, 67 and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “And you were also with Jesus of Nazareth”.

68 But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know what you are saying. I don’t understand it”. And he went out on the porch. And the rooster crowed.

69 And the servant girl, seeing him again, began to say to those who were standing near by, “This is one of them”.

14:69 The whole group in the courtyard became suspicious of Peter, and several of them questioned him or spoke to others there about him – the servant girl (twice), another girl (Matt 26:71), a man (Luke 22:58), some who had been around the fire and especially a kinsman of the servant of the high priest (John 18:25-26). All of the Gospel writers mention some of them, none of the writers mention all of them. See note on Mark 4:1-20.⚜

70 And he denied it again. And after a little while, those who were standing by said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your way of speaking is like that”.

71 But he began to curse and swear, saying, “I don’t know this man about whom you are speaking”.

72 And the second time the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times”. And thinking of it, he wept.