Mark 14
The Plot Against Jesus
14:1 Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
The Jewish leaders were attempting the assassination of their long awaited Messiah. They wanted to murder the Creator God of the universe. All men who are not called efficaciously by God possess this desire to murder God.
14:2 For they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.”
Satan did not want to kill Jesus during Passover because it would fulfill Bible prophecy.
Jesus’ Anointing
14:3 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head.
Jesus did not sleep in Jerusalem. He traveled during the day to Jerusalem, but He often stayed the night with friends in Bethany. Jesus was celebrating a feast with Simon the Leper, whom Jesus had recently healed. Mary was the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Mary was most likely saving this expensive perfume for her future husband, but instead, she recognized the purpose of Jesus. Therefore, she poured this expensive perfume on Jesus.
14:4 But some who were present indignantly said to one another, “Why this waste of expensive ointment?
Satan always finds critics to slander those who do God’s work. He will even use believers to slander those who work for Christ.
14:5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor!” So they spoke angrily to her.
The believers shamed another believer who was doing God’s work. Biblical ignorance, unconfessed prayer, jealousy, and tares in the church cause these kinds of attacks upon a believer. Satan cannot possess believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit, but he can influence those who are not grounded in the Word of God.
14:6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me.
Mary was rebuked by other believers, even though her service was approved by God,
14:7 For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me!
Prosperity teachers stay away from this verse. Poverty is part of the satanic world system. It is not part of the Millennial Kingdom.
14:8 She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial.
Mary anointed the body of Jesus for burial. Jesus was allowing His friends in Bethany to know that He was about to die, but Mary was the only one who understood His message.
14:9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
This historical event was recorded in writing as a memorial to Mary so that others could learn from her example.
The Plan to Betray Jesus
14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands.
Judas was a zealot, He was not interested in a Messiah who was going to be martyred. He desired a military Messiah who could defeat Rome and place Israel back in power.
14:11 When they heard this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. So Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
Judas was willing to betray the Messiah of Israel for thirty pieces of silver. According to the Mosaic Law, thirty pieces of silver was restitution for a dead slave.
The Passover
14:12 Now on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
This would be the Passover when the Lamb of God would be offered for the sins of the world.
14:13 He sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
The author Mark was a young teenager at this time. The two disciples were to meet Mark’s father and plan the Passover at his house.
14:14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
Jesus was organized. He had all of these events planned out in advance.
14:15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
Jesus was to practice the same Passover which had been going on since the day of the Exodus.
14:16 So the disciples left, went into the city, and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
The Exodus from Egypt was preparation for this one specific Passover.
14:17 Then, when it was evening, he came to the house with the twelve.
All twelve disciples were in attendance, including Judas.
14:18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me will betray me.”
Jesus predicted His betrayal to the twelve. Judas was given another opportunity to confess his sin.
14:19 They were distressed, and one by one said to him, “Surely not I?”
Each of the disciples possessed inside of their sin nature the ability to betray Jesus.
14:20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.
Jesus marked out His exact betrayer, giving Judas even more time to repent.
14:21 For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
It is better for a Christ-rejecter to have never been born than to live and reject Christ. This is the reason why unbelievers hate Jesus, the Word of God, and His believers. The gospel condemns Christ-rejecters to an eternal Lake of Fire. This is a message that they do not want to hear, so they must attack and ridicule the message.
The Lord’s Supper
14:22 While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.”
The unleavened bread was a symbol of the sinless body of Christ which would be broken for the atonement of all men who believe.
14:23 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
There were seven different cups used at the Passover Feast. They all pointed to Christ.
14:24 He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.
The wine was a symbol of the blood of Christ. It does not become the actual blood of Christ, as Catholics teach, but it is a symbol of the blood which He spilled at the cross.
14:25 I tell you the truth, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus did not drink the last cup of Passover. This was very unusual for a Jew to break this tradition. Jesus will not drink the cup until the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. He will drink the cup with His resurrected disciples.
14:26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The disciples sang Psalms 115-118.
The Prediction of Peter’s Denial
14:27 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
Jesus quoted from Zechariah 13:7. The Greek word for “fall away” is σκανδαλίζω (skandalizow), a future passive indicative verb, meaning that all twelve of the disciples were going to fall into a trap, causing them to be offended by Jesus.
Jesus quoted
14:28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Jesus told the disciples that after His resurrection, He would meet them in Galilee.
14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, I will not!”
Peter was the most courageous disciple. He declared that Jesus was the Christ, walked on water, and cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. He boasted that he would not fall into this trap and be offended at Jesus.
14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Jesus knows the sin nature of man. Even the most courageous disciple will betray Jesus.
14:31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all of them said the same thing.
All of the disciples promised that they would not deny Jesus. This is why God makes unconditional covenants with men. He does not trust men. He knows that all men are liars. He knows that no man will keep his promise to God.
Gethsemane
14:32 Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Gethsemane means “press of oils”. It was a place where olives were crushed into oil. Jesus wanted His best friends to stay with Him and pray.
14:33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed.
Jesus took His three inner disciples with Him to pray. Jesus was not troubled about His death, but He was troubled about being disconnected from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
14:34 He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.”
Being separated from the Godhead troubled Jesus so much, that the stress almost killed His physical body.
14:35 Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.
Jesus did not fear the cross. The “hour” that He dreaded was separation from the Trinity.
14:36 He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
“Abba” is an intimate Jewish word for “daddy”. No Jewish person would ever dare call God “Daddy”, but Jesus did. Jesus possessed an intimate Father-Son perfect relationship with the Father. The human side of Jesus did not desire separation from the Trinity. However, the divine side of Jesus desired to fulfill the will of the Father. Jesus was the perfect and obedient Son.
14:37 Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour?
The disciples could not stay awake when Jesus needed them the most.
14:38 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The disciples did not need to pray for Jesus. They needed to pray for themselves. Satan and all of his demons were about to move against the disciples.
14:39 He went away again and prayed the same thing.
Jesus prayed all night. The disciples only recorded a portion of His prayer.
14:40 When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him.
The disciples should have been praying for themselves, because they were about to be tempted by Satan.
14:41 He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Jesus had to wake up the disciples so that they could escape and later take the gospel to the world.
14:42 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”
Judas knew the miraculous powers of Jesus. Therefore, he approached Jesus with an army of men.
Betrayal and Arrest
14:43 Right away, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law and elders.
Jesus could have blinked this small army out of existence.
14:44 (Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”)
A kiss was the Jewish greeting for close friends and family.
14:45 When Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.
Notice that Judas called Jesus “rabbi” and not “Lord”.
14:46 Then they took hold of him and arrested him.
Jesus allowed them to take Him just as a shepherd takes a sheep to the slaughter. Jesus possessed the power to escape, but He remained silent as a sheep before her shearers. See Isaiah 53.
14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his ear.
Peter cut off the high priest’s ears. Mark received much of his information from Peter, so he protected Peter’s identity in this gospel.
14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?
Jesus reminded them that He was not an outlaw.
14:49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that the scriptures would be fulfilled.”
The religious leaders could not escape God’s sovereignty.
14:50 Then all the disciples left him and fled.
All of the disciples ran away, just as Jesus predicted.
14:51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him,
This young man was most likely Mark, the author of this book.
14:52 but he ran off naked, leaving his linen cloth behind.
Mark was an eyewitness of many of the preceding events.
Condemned by the Sanhedrin
14:53 Then they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law came together.
This was an illegal trial, because the Sanhedrin met at night.
14:54 And Peter had followed him from a distance, up to the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the guards and warming himself by the fire.
Peter was a very courageous disciple.
14:55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything.
With no formal charge, the Sanhedrin should have allowed Jesus to leave.
14:56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.
The Mosaic Law demanded two witnesses in agreement. The Sanhedrin could not even find two men who agreed. The case should have been dismissed.
14:57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 14:58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.’” 14:59 Yet even on this point their testimony did not agree.
The temple which Jesus was talking about was that of His own body. Even the enemies heard the resurrection prophecies of Jesus. They even testified as such in the Jewish court.
14:60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”
The High Priest could not find two witnesses to agree, so he challenged Jesus.
14:61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
According to Mishnah law, the defendant did not have to testify against himself. The High Priest asked Jesus point blank if he was the Messianic Son of God.
14:62 “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
The Greek word for “I am” is Ἐγώ εἰμι (egow eimi), an emphatic 1st person pronoun combined with a present active indicative verb, meaning “I emphatically am continually existing forever as a 100% statement of fact as the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God.” Jesus also told His judges that they will see Him in the future sitting at the right hand of God the Father. A prince sits at the right hand of the Father’s throne, waiting to be the next king. Jesus was the Creator, King, and Judge of heaven and earth, but He was allowing His creation, His subjects, and those who were on trial to judge Him.
14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?
It was against the Oral Law for the High Priest to tear His garment.
14:64 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” They all condemned him as deserving death.
Blasphemy is calling good evil and evil good. Jesus told them the truth under oath. The Jewish religious leaders falsely considered the truth of God as blasphemy. They themselves were calling good as evil.
14:65 Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.
The Messiah finally came to earth and the chosen people of God mocked Him, beat Him, and accused Him falsely of blasphemy.
Peter’s Denials
14:66 Now while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s slave girls came by.
It took courage for Peter to follow Jesus this closely.
14:67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.”
The slave girl recognized Peter. This was a threat to Peter’s safety.
14:68 But he denied it: “I don’t even understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed.
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed twice.
14:69 When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 14:70 But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, “You must be one of them, because you are also a Galilean.”
Peter denied Jesus a second time. His Galilean accent gave him away.
14:71 Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!”
Peter denied Jesus a third time.
14:72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Peter was the most courageous disciple, but even his humanity cracked under pressure. If secular history is correct, then Peter will later be crucified upside down.