Mark 14

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Mark 14 details the plot to kill Jesus, his anointing at Bethany, and Judas Iscariot's agreement to betray him. During the Last Supper, Jesus institutes the new covenant, foretells his betrayal and Peter's denial, then prays in agony in Gethsemane. He is subsequently arrested, tried before the high priest, and condemned, while Peter denies knowing him three times.

The Plot to Kill Jesus 1–2

¶ After 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.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

A Woman Anoints Jesus 3–9

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

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

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

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

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 10–11

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Preparation for the Passover 12–16

¶ And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal 17–21

And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

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

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

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Institution of the Lord's Supper 22–26

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

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

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Peter’s Denial Foretold 27–31

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.

But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

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

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane 32–42

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

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

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

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

The Arrest of Jesus 43–52

¶ 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.

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 safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

And they all forsook him, and fled.

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:

And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

Trial Before the Sanhedrin 53–65

¶ And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

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

For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

But neither so did their witness agree together.

And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

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 Blessed?

And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

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.

Peter Denies Jesus 66–72

¶ And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Mark 14

Verse 1

the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread — Pascha and azymos name the two joined observances: the lamb killed on the fourteenth day (Ex 12:6), then unleavened bread to the twenty-first (Ex 12:18). 'By craft' is dolos, guile or deceit; Luke adds 'for they feared the people' (Luke 22:2).

Verse 3

ointment of spikenard very precious — Nardos is nard; the added pistikos means genuine, unadulterated, and polytelos 'very precious' is extremely costly. The scene is Bethany, 'the house of Simon the leper' (Matt 26:6). 'Brake' is syntribo, to shatter, so the whole vessel was given up on his head.

Verse 5

three hundred pence — Denarion, the Roman denarius; the labourer's wage was 'a penny a day' (Matt 20:2), so the sum is about a year's pay. John gives the same figure and names Judas as the speaker (John 12:4–5). 'Murmured' is embrimaomai, to snort with anger, a stronger word than grumbling.

Verse 8

to anoint my body to the burying — Prolambano, to take beforehand; entaphiasmos is preparation for burial. John records 'against the day of my burying hath she kept this' (John 12:7). The women bought 'sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him' after the sabbath (Mark 16:1); her anointing came beforehand.

Verse 10

Judas Iscariot — Iskariotes is taken to mean a man of Kerioth. 'Betray' is paradidomi, to hand over, the verb used of the Son of man throughout this chapter (vv.21, 41–42). Luke says 'Satan' entered him (Luke 22:3); Ps 41:9 had spoken of a familiar friend who 'hath lifted up his heel against me'.

Verse 12

when they killed the passover — Thyo, to sacrifice. The lamb was killed on the fourteenth day 'in the evening' (Ex 12:6), so the disciples ask where to prepare the meal that same day. Paul names the fulfilment: 'Christ our passover is sacrificed for us' (1 Cor 5:7).

Verse 13

a man bearing a pitcher of water — Kerameion, an earthenware jar. Luke names the two sent as 'Peter and John' (Luke 22:8) and repeats the sign (Luke 22:10). Jesus' foreknowledge of an unseen detail matches the colt of Mark 11:2–6; both come true 'as he had said' (v.16).

Verse 21

woe to that man — Ouai, the exclamation of grief and judgment. The Son of man 'goeth, as it is written of him', as Isa 53:12 says he 'was numbered with the transgressors', yet the betrayer answers for his own act. Matthew has almost the same words (Matt 26:24); Ps 41:9 lies behind v.18.

Verse 22

this is my body — Artos, bread, broken (klao) and given at the Passover meal. Paul gives the words as 'this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me' (1 Cor 11:24); Luke adds 'which is given for you' (Luke 22:19). The Lord's body is the offering the Passover lamb foreshadowed.

Verse 24

my blood of the new testament — Diatheke, covenant. It recalls the blood Moses sprinkled: 'the blood of the covenant' (Ex 24:8), and the promise 'I will make a new covenant' (Jer 31:31). 'For many' echoes Isa 53:12, 'he bare the sin of many'; Matthew adds 'for the remission of sins' (Matt 26:28).

Verse 27

All ye shall be offended — Skandalizo, to trip up, cause to stumble. The quotation, 'I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered', is from Zech 13:7, where the LORD of hosts says 'smite the shepherd'. John records the same scattering: 'ye shall be scattered, every man to his own' (John 16:32).

Verse 30

before the cock crow twice — Dis, twice; aparneomai is to deny utterly. The word is kept to the letter: the cock crows after the first denial (v.68) and 'the second time' after the third (v.72). Matthew's shorter form is 'before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice' (Matt 26:34).

Verse 32

Gethsemane — Gethsemane, 'oil-press', a place on the way to the mount of Olives (v.26; Luke 22:39). John calls it a garden beyond 'the brook Cedron' (John 18:1). Jesus sets the disciples to 'sit' while he prays apart, taking only Peter, James and John (v.33).

Verse 36

Abba, Father — Abba is the Aramaic 'father', here joined to the Greek pater. It occurs only three times in the New Testament, here and in Rom 8:15 and Gal 4:6. 'This cup' is the one he had asked James and John about (Mark 10:38) and takes up again: 'the cup which my Father hath given me' (John 18:11).

Verse 38

Watch ye and pray — Gregoreuo, to keep awake, the command of the Olivet discourse, 'Watch ye therefore' (Mark 13:35). 'Ready' is prothymos, willing; 'weak' is asthenes, strengthless. The 'temptation' (peirasmos) is the trial about to break on them, when all forsook him (v.50).

Verse 44

a token — Syssemon, a prearranged signal; it occurs only here in the New Testament. The kiss (phileo) was a greeting, so the sign hid the arrest. 'Safely' is asphalos, securely. 'The kisses of an enemy are deceitful' (Prov 27:6).

Verse 49

the scriptures must be fulfilled — Jesus points to his open teaching 'in the temple' (cf. Mark 12:35) against this night arrest; Luke records 'this is your hour, and the power of darkness' (Luke 22:53). He had said of himself 'he was reckoned among the transgressors' (Luke 22:37; Isa 53:12).

Verse 51

a linen cloth — Sindon, fine linen cloth, the same word as the burial linen in which Joseph wrapped the body (Mark 15:46). The neaniskos ('young man') is not named; this episode and v.52 stand only in Mark. He escapes by leaving the cloth behind (v.52).

Verse 54

afar off — Makrothen, from a distance. Peter goes 'even into the palace' (aule, the open court), where the servants had made 'a fire of coals; for it was cold' (John 18:18). Seated among them, he is placed for the three questions that follow (vv.66–70).

Verse 58

made with hands… made without hands — Cheiropoietos and acheiropoietos, the latter found three times in the New Testament (here, 2 Cor 5:1, Col 2:11). Jesus' actual words were 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19), and John explains: 'he spake of the temple of his body' (John 2:21).

Verse 61

the Son of the Blessed — Eulogetos, blessed, used of God: 'the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore' (2 Cor 11:31). The high priest's double title, 'the Christ, the Son of the Blessed', asks about Messiahship and divine sonship. The silence before it matches Isa 53:7.

Verse 62

I am — Ego eimi, a plain and full assent to the question. 'Sitting on the right hand of power' draws on Ps 110:1, and 'coming in the clouds of heaven' on Dan 7:13; 'power' stands for God. The coming he describes is the one foretold in Mark 13:26, and it brings the charge of blasphemy (vv.63–64).

Verse 71

to curse and to swear — Anathematizo, to bind oneself under a curse, and omnyo, to take an oath. Peter, who had said 'I will not deny thee in any wise' (v.31), here calls down a curse in support of his denial. Matthew has the same sequence: 'Then began he to curse and to swear' (Matt 26:74).