Mark 14:1-2. The Sanhedrim in Council 1. _After two days_ From St Matthew's account we gather that it was as they entered Bethany that our Lord Himself reminded the Apostles (Matthew 26:1-2) that after two days the Passover would be celebrated, and _the Son of Man be delivered up to be crucified_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Feast in Simon's House. The Anointing by Mary 3. _And being in Bethany_ Meanwhile circumstances had occurred which in their result presented to the Jewish authorities a mode of apprehending Him which they had never anticipated. To relate these the Evangelist goes back to the evening before the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there were some_ The murmuring began with Judas Iscariot (John 12:4), and his spirit of murmuring infected some of the others, simple Galileans, little accustomed to such luxury.... [ Continue Reading ]
_for more than three hundred pence_ i. e. for more than 300 denarii, =300 × 7½ _d_. = about £10. To Judas it was intolerable there should be such an utter waste of good money. _they murmured_ This word has already been explained in the note on chap. Mark 1:43. Wyclif renders it here "þei groyneden... [ Continue Reading ]
_she is come aforehand_ The word thus rendered only occurs three times in the New Testament. (1) Here; (2) 1 Corinthians 11:21, "for in eating every one _taketh before other_his own supper;" (3) Galatians 6:1, "if a man be _overtaken_in a fault," = "be _surprised_or _detected_in the act of committin... [ Continue Reading ]
_this gospel shall be preached_ A memorable prophecy, and to this day memorably fulfilled. The story of her devoted adoration has gone forth into all lands.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Compact of Judas with the Chief Priests 10. _And Judas Iscariot_ The words "_to the burying_" must have fallen like the death knell of all his Messianic hopes on the ears of Judas Iscariot, "the only southern Jew among the Twelve," and this, added to the consciousness that his Master had read t... [ Continue Reading ]
_they were glad_ They shuddered not at the suggested deed of darkness. His proposal filled them with joy. _and promised_ How much he expected when he went over to them we cannot tell. But by going at all he had placed himself in their hands. He had made his venture, and was obliged to take what the... [ Continue Reading ]
Preparations for the Last Supper 12. _the first day of unleavened bread_ Wednesday in Passion week would seem to have been spent by our Lord in deep seclusion at Bethany preparing Himself for the awfulness of the coming struggle, and is hidden by a veil of holy silence. That night He slept at Betha... [ Continue Reading ]
_he sendeth forth two of his disciples_ The Apostles Peter and John (Luke 22:8). _and there shall meet you_ Observe the minuteness of the directions and of the predictions as to the events which would happen. It is the same mysterious minuteness which distinguishes the preparations for the Triumpha... [ Continue Reading ]
_say ye to the goodman of the house_ The words addressed to him, and the confidential nature of the communication, make it probable that the owner of the house was a believing follower. "Discipulus, sed non ex duodecim," Bengel. Some have conjectured it was Joseph of Arimathæa, others John Mark; but... [ Continue Reading ]
_a large upper room furnished_ "a greet souping place strewid," Wyclif. The guest-chamber was on the upper floor, ready, and provided with couches, as the custom of reclining at meals required. We may conclude also from the word _prepared_that the searching for and putting away of every particle of... [ Continue Reading ]
_they made ready the passover_ This preparation would include the provision of the unleavened cakes, of the bitter herbs, the four or five cups of red wine mixed with water, of everything, in short, necessary for the meal. At this point it may be well to try to realise the manner in which the Passov... [ Continue Reading ]
Commencement of the Supper. Revelation of the Traitor 17. _in the evening_ "It was probably while the sun was beginning to decline in the horizon that Jesus and the disciples descended once more over the Mount of Olives into the Holy City. Before them lay Jerusalem in her festive attire. White tents... [ Continue Reading ]
_And as they sat_ Grouping together the four narratives, which, as they approach the Passion, expand into the fulness of a diary, we infer that (i) when the little company had taken their places on the _triclinia_, the Saviour as Celebrant or Proclaimer of the Feast, remarking that with desire He ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_they began to be sorrowful_ The very thought of treason was to their honest and faithful hearts insupportable, and excited great surprise and deepest sorrow. _one by one_ Observe the pictorial and minute details of St Mark. _Is it I?_ None of them said "Is it _he?_" So utterly unconscious were th... [ Continue Reading ]
_he answered and said unto them_ "_Answered_" is omitted in the best MSS. The intimation was made privately to St John, to whom St Peter had made a sign that he should ask who could be so base (John 13:23-26). _one of the twelve_ One of His own "familiar friends" (Psalms 41:9). _that dippeth with m... [ Continue Reading ]
_woe to that man_ The intimation just given was uttered privately for the ear of St John alone, and through him was possibly made known to St Peter; but the incident was of so ordinary a character, that it would fail to attract any notice whatever, and could only be a sign to the Apostle of Love. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Institution of the Holy Eucharist 22. _And as they did eat_ On the departure of the Traitor the Saviour, as though relieved of a heavy load, broke forth into words of mysterious triumph (John 13:31-35), and then, as the meal went on, proceeded to institute the Holy Eucharist. _Jesus took bread_ th... [ Continue Reading ]
_he took the cup_ probably the third Cup, and known as the "Cup of Blessing." See above, Mark 14:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
_This is my blood of the new testament_ or rather, COVENANT. Some of the best MSS. here omit "new." He reminds them of the old Covenant also made in blood with their fathers in the wilderness (Exodus 24:8). _which is shed for many_ i. e. _which is being_(or _on the point of being) shed for many_. St... [ Continue Reading ]
The Flight of the Apostles foretold and the Denials of St Peter 26. _when they had sung an hymn_ In all probability the concluding portion of the Hallel. See above, note on Mark 14:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus saith unto them_ These words really were uttered as they sat at the table just after the institution of the Holy Eucharist. _for it is written_ The words are taken from Zechariah 13:7. The Good Shepherd quotes the allusion to Himself in His truest character (John 10:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
_after that I am risen_ The Angel afterwards referred to these very words at the open Sepulchre on the world's first Easter-Day (Mark 16:6-7).... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Peter said unto him_ Ardent and impulsive as ever, the Apostle could not endure the thought of such desertion. His protestations of fidelity are more fully given in Matthew 26:33 and John 13:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in this night_ Before the dawn of the morrow should streak the eastern sky, and in the darkness the cock should twice have crowed, he who had declared he would _never_be offended, would _thrice_deny that he had ever known his Lord. St Mark, as usual, records two points which enhance the force of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I should_ Literally, IF IT BE NECESSARY FOR ME TO DIE WITH THEE; as Wyclif renders it, "_if it bihoue_me to dye to gidere with thee." After this the Lord engaged in earnest conversation with His Apostles, not as at the ordinary Passover on the great events of the Exodus, but on His own approachi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they came_ They would pass through one of the city gates, "open that night as it was Passover," down the steep side of the Kidron (John 18:1), and coming by the bridge, they went onwards towards _a place which was named Gethsemane_ The word Gethsemane means "the Oil-Press." It was a _garden_(Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane... [ Continue Reading ]
_he taketh with him_ the three most trusted and long-tried of the Apostolic body, who had been before the privileged witnesses of the raising of the daughter of Jairus and of the Transfiguration. _began to be sore amazed_ "To drede," Wyclif. We have already met this word in ch. Mark 9:15, where it... [ Continue Reading ]
_My soul is exceeding sorrowful_ Here again we have a remarkable word. We met with it before (ch. Mark 6:26), where "Herod is said to have been "_exceeding sorry_" at the request for the Baptist's head; St Luke also uses the word (Luke 18:23-24) to describe how the rich young ruler was "_very sorrow... [ Continue Reading ]
_forward a little_ "_about a stone's throw_" (Luke 22:41), perhaps out of the moonlight into the shadow of the garden.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abba_ St Mark alone has preserved for us this word. St Peter could not fail to have treasured up the words of murmured anguish, which, "_about a stone's throw_" apart, he may have caught before he was overpowered with slumber. It is used only twice more in the New Testament, and both times by St Pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_and saith unto Peter_ who had made so many impetuous promises.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the flesh is weak_ It is not of course implied that His own "will" was at variance with that of His Father; but, very Man, He had a _human will_, and knew the mystery of the opposition of the strongest, and at the same time the most innocent, instincts of humanity. The fuller account of the "Agony... [ Continue Reading ]
_their eyes were heavy_ "sopli her yzen were greuyd," Wyclif. Even as had been the case on the Mount of Transfiguration. The original word supported by the best MSS. only occurs here, and denotes that the Apostles were utterly tired, and their eyes "weighed _down_." _neither wist they what to answe... [ Continue Reading ]
_the third time_ The Temptation of the Garden divides itself, like that of the Wilderness, into three acts, following close on one another. _Sleep on now_ for ever if ye will. The words are spoken in a kind of gentle irony and sorrowful expostulation. The Golden Hour for watching and prayer was ove... [ Continue Reading ]
The Betrayal 43. _And immediately_ while He yet spake, the garden was filled with armed men, and flashed with the light of numerous lanterns and torches, though the Paschal moon was at the full, for "in the rocky ravine of the Kidron there would fall great deep shadows from the declivity of the mou... [ Continue Reading ]
_a token_ Judas had never imagined that our Lord would Himself come forth to meet His enemies (John 18:2-5). He had anticipated the necessity of giving a signal whereby they might know Him. He had pressed forward and was in front of the rest (Luke 22:47). The word translated "a tokene," Wyclif, only... [ Continue Reading ]
_and kissed him_ Rather, KISSED HIM TENDERLY OR FERVENTLY. The customary kiss of a disciple to his teacher. The same word in the original with its intensifying preposition is used to express (i) the kissing of our Lord by the woman who was a sinner (Luke 7:38; Luke 7:45); (ii) the kissing of the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_And one of them that stood by_ This we know from St John was Simon Peter (John 18:10), displaying his characteristic impetuosity to the end. Some think the Apostle's name was omitted by the Synoptists lest the publication of it in his lifetime should expose him to the revenge of the unbelieving Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
_answered and said unto them_ Those to whom He now spoke were, as we learn from St Luke 22:52, some chief priests and elders and officers of the Temple guard, who had been apparently watching His capture. _a thief_ Rather, a ROBBER or bandit. See above, note on ch. Mark 11:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the scriptures must be fulfilled_ Rather, BUT THAT THE SCRIPTURES MAY BE FULFILLED all this has come to pass.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they all forsook him, and fled_ Even the impetuous Peter who had made so many promises; even the disciple whom He loved.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a certain young man_ This forms an episode as characteristic of St Mark as that of the two disciples journeying to Emmaus is of St Luke. Some have conjectured he was the owner of the garden of Gethsemane; others Lazarus (see Professor Plumptre's Article on "Lazarus" in Smith's _Bible Dict_.); other... [ Continue Reading ]
_naked_ This need not imply that he was absolutely naked. It may mean, like the Latin _nudus_, "with only the _under_robe on." Comp. 1 Samuel 19:24; John 21:7; Virg. _Georg_. i. 299.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jewish Trial 53. _And they led Jesus away_ They bound Him first (John 18:12), and then conducted Him across the Kidron and up the road leading into the city. _to the high priest_ This we know from St John was Caiaphas. But our Lord was first brought to the palace of Annas his father-in-law (Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Peter_ Before the palace or within its outer porch appears to have been a large open square court, in which public business was transacted. Into it Peter and John ventured to follow (John 18:15). The latter, as being acquainted with the high-priest, easily obtained admittance; Peter, at first r... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the chief priests_ St Mark passes over the details of the examination before Annas and the first commencement of insult and violence, recorded only by St John (John 18:19-24). He places us in the mansion of Caiaphas, whither our Lord was conducted across the courtyard, and where a more formal a... [ Continue Reading ]
_but their witness agreed not together_ "þe witnessingis weren not _couenable_," Wyclif. The Law required that at least two witnesses must agree. See Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15. But now some who came forward had nothing relevant to say, and others contradicted themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there arose certain_ Two at last came forward, whose evidence appeared likely to be more satisfactory.... [ Continue Reading ]
_We heard him say_ The statements now made are given with more detail by St Mark than any other of the Evangelists. He alone tells us they said that they had heard our Lord declare, "He would destroy the Temple _made with hands_and in three days build another _made without hands_." In the opposition... [ Continue Reading ]
_neither so_ The utterance of words tending to bring the Temple into contempt was regarded as so grave an offence that it afterwards formed a capital charge against the first martyr, Stephen (Acts 6:13). But dangerous as was the charge, it broke down. The statements of the witnesses did not tally, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the high priest stood up_ The impressive silence, which our Lord preserved, while false witnesses were being sought against Him (Matthew 26:62), was galling to the pride of Caiaphas, who saw that nothing remained but to force Him, if possible, to criminate Himself. Standing up, therefore, _in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus said. I am_ Thus adjured, the Lord broke the silence He had hitherto maintained. His answer to such a question must be liable to no misinterpretation. Peter in an ecstatic moment had declared He was the King Messiah, "_the Son of the living God_" (Matthew 16:16), and He had not refused th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the high priest_ Caiaphas had now gained his end. The Accused had spoken. He had criminated Himself. All was uproar and confusion. The high-priest rent his linen robes. This was not lawful for him to do in cases of mourning (Leviticus 10:6; Leviticus 21:10), but was allowable in cases of blasp... [ Continue Reading ]
_they all condemned him_ Worse than false prophet, worse than false Messiah, He had declared Himself to be the "_Son of God_," and that in the presence of the high-priest and the great Council. He had incurred the capital penalty. But though they thus passed sentence, they could not execute it. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_And some began_ It was now about three o'clock in the morning, and till further steps could be taken our Lord was left in charge of soldiers of the guard and the servants and apparitors of the high-priest. _to spit on him_ In those rough ages a prisoner under sentence of death was ever delivered ov... [ Continue Reading ]
The Denial of our Lord by St Peter 66. _And as Peter_ During the sad scene enacted in the hall of trial above, an almost sadder moral tragedy had been enacted in the court below.... [ Continue Reading ]
_warming himself_ This seems to have been shortly after his entrance, as related above. The maid who approached probably was the porteress who had admitted him. _she looked upon him_ with fixed and earnest gaze, as the original word used by St Luke (Luke 22:56) implies.... [ Continue Reading ]
_but he denied_ Thrown off his guard and perhaps disconcerted by the searching glances of the bystanders, Peter replied at first evasively, that he neither knew nor understood what she meant. See Lange, _Life_, iv. p. 316. Others think it means, "_I know Him not, neither understand I what thou sayes... [ Continue Reading ]
_a maid saw him again_ Recognised at the porch, Peter seems to have returned once more towards the fire, and was conversing in his rough Galilean dialect with the soldiers and servants when, alter the lapse of an hour, another maid approached. _to them that stood by_ On this occasion she addressed... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he denied it again_ This denial was probably addressed to those round the fire. But escape was hopeless. "Surely," said one, "_this fellow is one of them;_" "_Thou art a Galilæan_," said another, "and _thy speech agreeth thereto_." These last words are omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Treg... [ Continue Reading ]
_he began to curse and to swear_ Assailed by the bystanders just mentioned and by the kinsman of Malchus (John 18:26), the Apostle now fell deeper still. With oaths and curses he denied that he had ever known the Man of whom they spoke, and at that moment, for the second time, the cock crew, and at... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Peter called to mind_ That glance of sorrow went straight to the Apostle's heart; all that his Lord had said, all His repeated warnings rushed back to his remembrance, and lit up the darkness of his soul. He could contain himself no longer, and _when he thought thereon_ for so we have rendered... [ Continue Reading ]