Mark 14

The leading priests and the teachers of the law had planned to kill Jesus (see 3:6; 11:18; 12:12). Now their plan reaches its final stage.

The last section of Mark tells the story of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

• The story of Jesus’s anointing by a woman in Bethany (14:3–9) introduces the events that follow. Luke’s account (Luke 7:36–50) is quite different and may describe another event. This incident took place in Bethany, a village about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) east of Jerusalem on the lower eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus apparently stayed there when he was in Judea (Mark 11:1, 11–12).

  The house belonged to Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy (a disease that often caused people to be separated from society). He may have been healed by Jesus (see 1:40–45).

• reclining ("sitting back"): The meal was a banquet because the guests were reclining while they ate. A woman (see John 12:3) broke the neck of a sealed alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume (pure nard) and poured all of it on the head of Jesus (see Exodus 29:4–7; 2 Kings 9:1–6).

Some people (see Matthew 26:8; John 12:4–5) were angry because they thought the expensive perfume had been wasted. The perfume was said to be worth about a year’s wages for an average worker. They argued that the money could have been given to the poor. Giving to the poor was especially important during Passover.

Jesus defended the woman’s action. That the disciples would always have the poor among them did not minimize the concern Jesus has for the poor. The opportunity to minister directly to Jesus was limited. Only hours remained! She chose the best thing she could do with her perfume.

Jesus explains the woman’s action. She had anointed his body in preparation for burial. It is not clear whether the woman understood that the death of Jesus was near, but her loving act served the purpose Jesus described.

Mark's Gospel does not mention the woman's name, but her action is remembered as people share the story of Jesus worldwide (14:6).

In clear contrast to the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve disciples, offered to betray Jesus for money (Matthew 26:15; 27:3, 9).

The Jews sacrificed the lamb for Passover at twilight on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan (Exodus 12:6). This date occurs in March or April each year.

• The preparation for the Passover meal (14:12–16) introduces the story of the Last Supper (22–25).

• The Last Supper is associated with the Passover meal (14:12, 14, 16; Matthew 26:17–19; Luke 22:7–8, 11, 13, 15; compare John 18:28; 19:14). Many people traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. This was where God's temple was located (see Deuteronomy 16:2).

The instructions Jesus gives to the disciples are similar to those in 11:2–6. This suggests that Jesus had already arranged a place where he and his disciples could eat the Passover meal and the Last Supper together. The careful preparation for this meal shows its importance.

The two disciples were to prepare the Passover meal. This included:

• the lamb (which had to be slaughtered, skinned, cleaned, and roasted over an open fire),

• unleavened bread,

• a bowl of salt water,

• bitter herbs, and

• a fruit mixture called kharosheth.

Enough wine mixed with water was needed so that Jesus and the disciples could each drink four cups. These cups celebrated God’s fourfold blessing (Exodus 6:6–7).

In the evening, Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples at the upstairs guest room. The Twelve refers to the disciples of Jesus as a group. Ten arrived with Jesus, since two were already there (14:13).

• while they were reclining: the Passover meal was eaten while reclining, as was common at banquet meals. During the meal, someone (usually the youngest son) would ask the host, “Why is this night different from other nights?” The father or host would then tell the stories of the Passover and the exodus from Egypt (Deuteronomy 26:5–9).

  The foods in the Passover meal had symbolic meaning:

  • The Passover lamb reminded the people of the blood of the sacrificial lambs that protected Israelite homes from the angel of death in Egypt (Exodus 12:28–30).

  • The unleavened bread reminded them of the Israelites’ quick departure from Egypt (Exodus 12:31–34, 39).

  • The salt water represented both the tears of slavery and the crossing of the Red Sea. The bitter herbs represented the bitterness of slavery.

  • The four cups of wine recalled God’s fourfold promise in Exodus 6:6–7.

• The betrayal of Jesus was especially terrible because the betrayer was one of those eating with him (see Psalms 41:9; 55:12–14).

Surely note I?: The disciples were shocked and saddened. This was the first time they heard someone would be unfaithful to Jesus and give him over to the Jewish leaders. Jesus kept the one who betrayed him a secret (though Mark first mentioned it in 3:19).

will go just as it is written about Him: See, for example, Isaiah 52:13–53:12. Jesus knew ahead of time that this betrayal would happen as part of God’s plan (compare 8:31–33). But God condemned the one who betrayed him. Jesus and the gospel writers do not explain how God’s sovereignty (God’s rule and control over all things) and Judas’s human responsibility fit together. Yet both truths are clearly affirmed (see John 19:11).

• The Last Supper began with a blessing. Today, many Christians ask God to bless the food before a meal. In the time of Jesus, Jewish people commonly blessed God for providing the food by saying, “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

• this is My body … This is My blood: Ever since the Protestant Reformation, there have been three main interpretations of the words of Jesus about the bread and wine:

  1. Transubstantiation: The bread and wine are believed to change into the actual body and blood of Christ, while still appearing to be bread and wine.

  2. Real Presence: Christ is understood to be truly present in the sacrament in a mysterious but real way that is beyond human understanding.

  3. Memorial or Symbolic View: The bread and wine are seen as symbols. The act of sharing them recalls Christ’s death and resurrection, and believers receive spiritual benefit through faith.

  See also John 6:53–63.

The cup of wine represented the blood of Jesus, poured out as a sacrifice (10:45; Isaiah 53:12). It initiated the covenant that God has made with his people (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; see Exodus 24:8; Zechariah 9:11; Hebrews 9:18–20; 10:26–29). The term many refers to all people (see Mark 10:45; Romans 5:15–19).

when I drink it anew: Jesus will have a great banquet (or feast) for his followers when he returns and fully establishes the kingdom of God.

• When they had sung a hymn: It was customary to end the Passover by singing the last part of the hallel psalms (Psalms 114–118).

• The singing of hymns brought the Passover meal and Last Supper to a conclusion, and Jesus and the disciples departed for the Mount of Olives to spend the night. As they proceeded, Jesus told his disciples that they would all desert him, which had to happen because the Scriptures foretold it.

• I will strike the Shepherd: As a result, the sheep (the disciples) would be scattered.

Despite predictions of their failure, the account included encouragement and hope. After Jesus was raised from the dead, he met the disciples in Galilee (see 16:7). There, they were forgiven and restored (see John 21:1–23).

Peter protested, and Jesus rebuked him, as in 8:32–33. Even though Peter strongly objected, he denied Jesus only a few hours later.

Gethsemane means "oil press" in Aramaic. Gethsemane is still full of olive trees today. John 18:1 calls it a garden. Luke 22:39 shows it was a favorite place for Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus went ahead with Peter, James, and John (5:37–43; 9:2–9; see also 13:3). They asked them to keep watch and pray with him, sharing in his distress.

• Jesus fell to the ground to pray because of his deep distress (see Genesis 17:1–3; Leviticus 9:24; Numbers 14:5; 16:4). Since it was normal to pray out loud, Jesus was probably overheard by the three disciples, who would not have fallen asleep immediately.

• Jesus addressed God as Abba, Father, indicating their close relationship (see Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).

• Take this cup from me: In faith, Jesus expressed his own feelings and desires to the Father. It was not only the physical pain of crucifixion that terrified him, but also the unique death that he would experience. He "who knew no sin" would experience the wrath of God against sin (Mark 15:34; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13).

• Yet not what I will, but what You will: The submission of Jesus to the Father’s will is a model for his followers.

• Are you asleep?: The question was a rebuke, for Jesus knew that Peter had been sleeping.

• Though the spirit is willing to avoid temptation (see Romans 7:18, 22–23), the body (literally the flesh, which refers to the general weakness and vulnerability of humanity) is weak.

• The content of the prayer of Jesus was likely the same as before (see 14:35–36, 39). Peter, James, and John failed to watch and pray three times. This recalls the prediction Jesus made that Peter would deny him three times (14:30, 66–72).

• Are you still sleeping and resting?: This phrase can be interpreted in several ways:

  • As in the Berean Standard Bible, this phrase can be interpreted as a rhetorical question. This type of question expects a positive answer, something like, “Sadly, yes.” This suggests that Jesus is expressing disappointment.

  • Others understand it as a command. For example, the New Living Translation says, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest.”

  • Still others interpret it as an exclamation (“You are sleeping and resting!”).

• the hour has come: The suffering of Jesus had begun. The time had come for the sacrificial Lamb to pour out his blood. (14:24). This happened as Judas arrived with the armed crowd that came to arrest Jesus. Jesus was betrayed into the hands of sinners, and he willingly went to the cross for them (2:17; 10:45; 14:21).

• Rise, let us go: Jesus accepted the cup God had given him. He went out to defeat his enemies by dying for them.

Judas’s betrayal during the arrest of Jesus becomes even more shocking when Mark reminds his audience that Judas was one of the 12 disciples. Judas had already agreed with the leading priests to betray Jesus at the right time and place (14:10–11).

He then led an armed crowd to arrest Jesus secretly at night, away from the people (14:1–2). Although the leaders wanted to avoid a public conflict, the crowd was large enough to stop any resistance from Jesus or his followers (see Luke 22:52; John 18:3).

Gethsemane was dark, and most of the crowd sent to arrest Jesus did not know him personally (see John 18:7–8). Judas had given a sign by which he would identify Jesus. Judas called Jesus Rabbi and kissed him, a common form of greeting (1 Samuel 10:1; 2 Samuel 19:39; Luke 7:45).

Peter tried to defend Jesus by cutting off the ear of the high priest’s slave (see John 18:10; see Luke 22:50–51).

But everything happening was to fulfill what the Scriptures say about Jesus. Mark reassured his audience that these events were part of God's plan. See Isaiah 53:7–9.

As Jesus had predicted just hours earlier, all his disciples deserted him (14:27–31).

The account of the arrest of Jesus ends with a note about an unnamed young man. There is no clear theological reason given for why Mark includes this detail. One possible explanation is that it is a personal detail from Mark himself, but this cannot be confirmed.

The chief priests, elders, and scribes were not the same as "the whole Sanhedrin" (14:55; 15:1) but they made up a large part of it. Peter followed Jesus into the chief priest’s courtyard, where the Sanhedrin was meeting. This prepares the audience for Peter’s denial of Jesus later in the chapter (14:66–72).

The account of the trial of Jesus begins immediately after his arrest. Some scholars have questioned whether the Gospel accounts are historically reliable because they differ in some details from the rules found in the Mishnah tractate Sanhedrin. However, several points should be considered.

1. The Mishnah was written around AD 200, while the Gospel of Mark was written in the late AD 60s, more than 130 years earlier.

2. The rules in Mishnah Sanhedrin describe what later rabbis believed should happen in such trials. They do not necessarily describe what actually happened.

3. It is uncertain whether the Sadducees who led the Sanhedrin would have followed the Pharisaic rules found in the Mishnah Sanhedrin (see Acts 23:6–10).

4. Some rules in the Mishnah Sanhedrin differ from what the Jewish historian Josephus wrote.

5. Laws were not always followed in practice. Jesus was being tried by a court that had already decided the outcome and only needed a charge to justify the sentence (Mark 14:55).

6. There is no strong reason to consider the Sanhedrin Mishnah more reliable than the Gospel accounts if the two differ.

• The trial of Jesus took place before the full high council, called the Sanhedrin in Greek. The council had seventy members and was led by the high priest. The Gospels describe the trial as a formal legal process:

  • The council searched for witnesses (14:55).

  • They heard testimony from eyewitnesses (14:56–59).

  • They placed Jesus under oath (Matthew 26:63).

  • They allowed Jesus to defend himself (Mark 14:60).

  • The "high priest tore his clothes" (14:63).

  • The Sanhedrin gave the final verdict (14:64).

  This does not mean it was a fair trial. The decision to put Jesus to death had already been made. Evidence was not sought to determine the truth, but to obtain a guilty verdict and death sentence.

• False witnesses giving false testimony misrepresented what Jesus said about the destruction and rebuilding of the temple (see 15:29; John 2:19; Acts 6:14). Since the false witnesses contradicted each other, their testimony was not reliable (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15).

Because the false witnesses did not agree, the high priest asked Jesus for evidence against himself (14:56).

• I am: Compare with study note on 6:49–50. Mark's audience has known from the beginning that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (1:1). This was acknowledged:

  • by demons (1:24; 3:11; 5:7),

  • by God (1:11; 9:7), and

  • by the disciples (8:29–30).

  But this is the first time that Jesus openly and publicly acknowledged that he was the Christ (the Messiah, God's chosen one).

• The second part of the reply Jesus gave was that he would sit at God’s right hand, the place of power and honor. This pointed forward to his resurrection and ascension (Luke 24:50–51; Acts 1:9–11; see Philippians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3) and his triumphal coming on the clouds of heaven to judge the world.

  At the return of Jesus, roles will be reversed. Those judging the Son of Man will be judged by him.

The high priest tore his clothes after hearing the words of Jesus. This was a legal act that signaled a guilty verdict and showed that no more witnesses were needed. The rest of the Sanhedrin agreed that Jesus was guilty and deserved death.

It is not completely clear what the leaders considered to be blasphemy (showing disrespect toward God) in what Jesus said. It might have been his statement "I am," which is how God referred to himself in Exodus 3:14 (see John 8:58). However, Mark may not be repeating the exact words Jesus spoke at the trial (compare Matthew 26:64; Luke 22:70). The phrase could simply mean that Jesus was answering “yes” to the high priest’s question. He was the Messiah, the Son of God.

During the second Jewish revolt against Rome, Bar Kokhba (AD 132–135) claimed to be the Messiah, and this was not treated as blasphemy. Jesus calling himself the Son of Man cannot have been considered blasphemous by itself. Before his trial, Jesus had used this title many times, and no charge of blasphemy had been raised.

However, the high priest and the Sanhedrin reacted strongly when Jesus identified himself as the Son of Man from Daniel 7:13. This indicated he was coming in God's name to judge the world.

This declaration came after:

• Jesus had already forgiven sins (Mark 2:5–7; Luke 7:48–50),

• claimed to be the Son of God (Mark 12:6),

• pronounced judgment on the temple (14:58), and

• claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath (2:28).

The religious leaders had already decided that Jesus should die. They now announced the guilty verdict they had already planned (14:55).

• Spit: See 10:34.

• Prophesy: See 6:4, 15; 8:28; 14:58.

• Similar abuse would happen during his trial before Pontius Pilate (15:16–20).

Peter’s predicted denials occurred during the trial of Jesus (see 14:30).

The title Jesus the Nazarene might have offended some people. People from Judea did not have a good opinion of those from Galilee (John 1:46; 7:41, 52).

Peter said he did not know Jesus. To avoid more questions, he left the courtyard and went to the gateway.

The servant girl repeated her accusation to standing there. The others thought Peter followed Jesus because he was a Galilean (see Matthew 26:73; compare Acts 2:7).

When he denied knowing Jesus, Peter promised that he was telling the truth with an oath.

When Peter denied Jesus for the third time, the rooster crowed again. This fulfilled the prediction of Jesus from 14:30.

While Jesus stood bravely before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council), Peter became afraid of people with little power. He called down curses on himself and said he did not know Jesus. When Peter remembered what Jesus had said, he began to weep.