Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Mark 14:13

ἀποστέλλει δύο. See on Mark 11:1. Lk. tells us that the pair were Peter and John, probably the oldest and youngest of the Twelve, certainly two that had been specially selected on previous occasions. Neither here, nor at the Supper, is there mention of a lamb, and it is very improbable that there was one. If the hypothesis that Christ anticipated the time for celebrating the Passover is correct, the disciples could not get the priests to kill the lamb before the time. Moreover, the whole company ought to be present in the Temple at the killing of the lamb (Exodus 12:4-6), and two disciples would not suffice for this. Above all, there would be no need of a typical lamb, when the true Paschal lamb was present, ready to be offered, but not yet slain.

Ὑπάγετε εἰς τ. πόλιν. This shows that they are outside Jerusalem, perhaps at Bethany.

ἀπαντήσει ὑμῖν ἄνθρωπος. This remarkable detail is omitted in Mt.’s very abbreviated narrative. The man’s carrying water shows that he was a servant, not the owner, who is in the house (Mark 14:14). Slaves or women fetched water for the household (Deuteronomy 29:11; Joshua 9:21-27; John 4:7). That this was the master of the house drawing water on 13th Nisan for making the leaven, is a useless suggestion; no evidence as to the day can be got from a servant fetching water. As in the case of the colt (Mark 11:2-3), there is room for doubt whether our Lord had arranged matters beforehand or not. It might have been agreed that the man carrying water should be ready to meet the disciples. But this is not the impression which the narratives give us. Apparently Christ had arranged with the owner that the Paschal meal should take place at his house; but His telling the disciples that they would meet one of this man’s servants, and that by following this servant they would find the house, is evidently regarded as supernatural prescience. If there had been any desire to invent a sign of supernatural prescience, our Lord would have been made to predict something more remarkable than a man carrying a pitcher.

Vulg. is again capricious; here it has laguenam aquae bajulans; in Lk. amphoram aquae portans, the Greek being the same. So also in what follows; here Ubi est refectio? in Lk. Ubi est diversorium?

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Mark 14:13

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