Bible Commentaries
Mark 14

Verse 1

14:1 After {1} two days was [the feast of] the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put [him] to death.

(1) By the will of God, against the counsel of men, it came to pass that Christ should be put to death upon the solemn day of the passover, that in all respects the truth of his sacrifice might agree to the symbol of the passover.

Verse 4

14:4 {2} And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

(2) Rash judgments are made void before God.

Verse 5

14:5 For it might have been sold for more than {a} three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

(a) Which is about six English pounds.

Verse 7

14:7 {3} For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

(3) Christ allowed himself to be anointed once or twice for certain considerations: but his will is to be daily anointed in the poor.

Verse 8

14:8 {4} She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

(4) This woman, by the secret influence of the Spirit, anoints Christ, and thus sets before men’s eyes his death and burial which were at hand.

Verse 10

14:10 {5} And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

(5) Covetousness disguised with a zeal of charity is an occasion to betray and crucify Christ.

Verse 12

14:12 {6} And the first day of unleavened bread, {b} when {c} they killed the {d} passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

(6) Christ being made subject to the law for us celebrates the passover according to the law: and in addition by a miracle shows that even though he will immediately suffer in the flesh, that he is yet God.

(b) That is, upon this day, and at the evening of the same day, which was the beginning of the fifteenth. See Geneva (G) "Matthew 26:17".

(c) They used to sacrifice.

(d) That is, spoken thus, by the figure of speech called metonymy, which is commonly used when talking about sacraments, and by the passover is meant the paschal lamb.

Verse 15

14:15 And he will shew you a large {e} upper room furnished [and] prepared: there make ready for us.

(e) The Greek word signifies that part of the house that is highest from the ground, and because they used to eat supper in that part of the house they called it a supper room, no matter what they were using it for.

Verse 18

14:18 {7} And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

(7) The types in the law, which are to be fulfilled before long, are cancelled: and in place of them are put symbols of the new covenant corresponding to them, which will continue to the world’s end.

Verse 20

14:20 And he answered and said unto them, [It is] one of the twelve, that {f} dippeth with me in the dish.

(f) That regularly eats with me.

Verse 27

14:27 {8} And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

(8) Christ foretells how he will be forsaken by his own, but yet that he will never forsake them.

Verse 29

14:29 {9} But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet [will] not I.

(9) Here is set forth in an excellent person a most sorrowful example of man’s rashness and weakness.

Verse 31

14:31 But he spake the {g} more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

(g) The doubling of words here sets out more plainly Peter’s vehement affirmation.

Verse 32

14:32 (10) And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

(10) Christ suffering for us the most horrible terrors of the curse of God, in that flesh which he took upon him for our sakes, receives the cup from his Father’s hands, which he being just, drinks right away for the unjust.

Verse 36

14:36 And he said, {h} Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

(h) This doubling of the word was used in those days when their languages were mixed together: for the word "Abba" is a Syrian word.

Verse 37

14:37 {11} And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

(11) A horrible example of the sluggishness of men, even among the disciples whom Christ had chosen.

Verse 43

14:43 {12} And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

(12) As men willingly robbed God their creator of his praise in forsaking and betraying him: so Christ, willingly going about to make satisfaction for this ruin, is forsaken by his own, and betrayed by one of his familiar acquaintances as a thief, so that the punishment might be in agreement with the sin, and that we who are ourselves traitors, forsakers and those committing sacrilege, might be delivered out of the devil’s snare.

Verse 44

14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead [him] away {i} safely.

(i) So diligently that he cannot escape out of your hand.

Verse 47

14:47 And {k} one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

(k) That is, Peter.

Verse 50

14:50 And they {l} all forsook him, and fled.

(l) All his disciples.

Verse 51

14:51 {13} And there followed him a certain young man, having a {m} linen cloth cast about [his] naked [body]; and the young men laid hold on him:

(13) Under a pretence of godliness, all things are lawful to those who do violence against Christ.

(m) Which he cast about him, and ran forth after he heard the commotion in the night: by this we may understand with how great licentiousness these villains violently set upon him.

Verse 53

14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were {n} assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

(n) The highest council was assembled because Christ was accused as a blasphemer and a false prophet: for as to the other crime of treason, it was forged against him by the priest in order to force Pilate to condemn him.

Verse 55

14:55 {14} And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

(14) Christ, who was so innocent that he could not be oppressed, not even by false witnesses, is at length condemned for impiety before the high priest for confessing God to be his father. This is so that we, who denied God and were indeed wicked, might be acquitted before God.

Verse 61

14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the {o} Blessed?

(o) Of God, who is most worthy of all praise?

Verse 65

14:65 {15} And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

(15) Christ, suffering all types of reproach for our sakes, gets everlasting glory for those that believe in him.

Verse 66

14:66 {16} And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

(16) A grievous example of the frailness of man together with a most comfortable example of the mercy of God, who gives the spirit of repentance and faith to his elect.

Verse 69

14:69 And {q} a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is [one] of them.

(q) If we carefully compare the evangelists together we will perceive that Peter was known by many through the maiden’s report: furthermore, when the second denial is spoken of in Luke, there is a man servant mentioned and not a maid.