141 Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away ; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him; 2 for they were saying , "Not during the festival , otherwise there might be a riot of the people ."
3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper , and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard ; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head . 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another , "Why e has this perfume been wasted ? 5 "For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii , and the money given to the poor ." And they were scolding her. 6 But Jesus said , "Let her alone ; why do you bother e her? She has done a good deed to Me. 7 "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. 8 "She has done what she could ; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial . 9 "Truly I say to you, wherever e the gospel is preached in the whole world , what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
10 Then Judas Iscariot , who was one of the twelve , went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. 11 They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money . And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time .
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed , His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover ?" 13 And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city , and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water ; follow him; 14 and wherever e he enters , say to the owner of the house , 'The Teacher says , "Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples ?"' 15 "And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready ; prepare for us there ." 16 The disciples went out and came to the city , and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover . 17 When it was evening He came with the twelve . 18 As they were reclining at the table and eating , Jesus said , "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me-one who is eating with Me." 19 They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one , "Surely not I?" 20 And He said to them, "It is one of the twelve , one who dips with Me in the bowl . 21 "For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed ! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born ." 22 While they were eating , He took some bread , and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said , "Take it; this is My body ." 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks , He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant , which is poured out for many . 25 "Truly I say to you, I will never e again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God ."
26 After singing a hymn , they went out to the Mount of Olives . 27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away , because it is written , ' I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD , AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED .' 28 "But after I have been raised , I will go ahead of you to Galilee ." 29 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away , yet I will not." 30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night , before a rooster crows twice , you yourself will deny Me three times ." 31 But Peter kept saying insistently , "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also .
32 They came to a place named Gethsemane ; and He said to His disciples , "Sit here until I have prayed ." 33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John , and began to be very distressed and troubled . 34 And He said to them, " My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death ; remain here and keep watch ." 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible , the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying , " Abba ! Father ! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will , but what You will." 37 And He came and found them sleeping , and said to Peter , "Simon , are you asleep ? Could you not keep watch for one hour ? 38 " Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation ; the spirit is willing , but the flesh is weak ." 39 Again He went away and prayed , saying the same words . 40 And again He came and found them sleeping , for their eyes were very heavy ; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 And He came the third time , and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting ? It is enough ; the hour has come ; behold , the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners . 42 "Get up, let us be going ; behold , the one who betrays Me is at hand !"
43 Immediately while He was still speaking , Judas , one of the twelve , came up accompanied e by a crowd with swords and clubs , who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders . 44 Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal , saying , "Whomever e I kiss , He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard ." 45 After coming , Judas immediately went to Him, saying , " Rabbi !" and kissed Him. 46 They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword , and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear . 48 And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber ? 49 "Every day I was with you in the temple teaching , and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures ." 50 And they all left Him and fled .
51 A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him. 52 But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 14:1-52
Commentary on Mark 14:1-11
(Read Mark 14:1-11)
Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; and remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particular acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's pious attention to the notice of believers in all ages. Those who honour Christ he will honour. Covetousness was Judas' master lust, and that betrayed him to the sin of betraying his Master; the devil suited his temptation to that, and so conquered him. And see what wicked contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits; but what appears to forward their plans, will prove curses in the end.
Commentary on Mark 14:12-21
(Read Mark 14:12-21)
Nothing could be less the result of human foresight than the events here related. But our Lord knows all things about us before they come to pass. If we admit him, he will dwell in our hearts. The Son of man goes, as it is written of him, as a lamb to the slaughter; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! God's permitting the sins of men, and bringing glory to himself out of them, does not oblige them to sin; nor will this be any excuse for their guilt, or lessen their punishment.
Commentary on Mark 14:22-31
(Read Mark 14:22-31)
The Lord's supper is food for the soul, therefore a very little of that which is for the body, as much as will serve for a sign, is enough. It was instituted by the example and the practice of our Master, to remain in force till his second coming. It was instituted with blessing and giving of thanks, to be a memorial of Christ's death. Frequent mention is made of his precious blood, as the price of our redemption. How comfortable is this to poor repenting sinners, that the blood of Christ is shed for many! If for many, why not for me? It was a sign of the conveyance of the benefits purchased for us by his death. Apply the doctrine of Christ crucified to yourselves; let it be meat and drink to your souls, strengthening and refreshing your spiritual life. It was to be an earnest and foretaste of the happiness of heaven, and thereby to put us out of taste for the pleasures and delights of sense. Every one that has tasted spiritual delights, straightway desires eternal ones. Though the great Shepherd passed through his sufferings without one false step, yet his followers often have been scattered by the small measure of sufferings allotted to them. How very apt we are to think well of ourselves, and to trust our own hearts! It was ill done of Peter thus to answer his Master, and not with fear and trembling. Lord, give me grace to keep me from denying thee.
Commentary on Mark 14:32-42
(Read Mark 14:32-42)
Christ's sufferings began with the sorest of all, those in his soul. He began to be sorely amazed; words not used in St. Matthew, but very full of meaning. The terrors of God set themselves in array against him, and he allowed him to contemplate them. Never was sorrow like unto his at this time. Now he was made a curse for us; the curses of the law were laid upon him as our Surety. He now tasted death, in all the bitterness of it. This was that fear of which the apostle speaks, the natural fear of pain and death, at which human nature startles. Can we ever entertain favourable, or even slight thoughts of sin, when we see the painful sufferings which sin, though but reckoned to him, brought on the Lord Jesus? Shall that sit light upon our souls, which sat so heavy upon his? Was Christ in such agony for our sins, and shall we never be in agony about them? How should we look upon Him whom we have pierced, and mourn! It becomes us to be exceedingly sorrowful for sin, because He was so, and never to mock at it. Christ, as Man, pleaded, that, if it were possible, his sufferings might pass from him. As Mediator, he submitted to the will of God, saying, Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt; I bid it welcome. See how the sinful weakness of Christ's disciples returns, and overpowers them. What heavy clogs these bodies of ours are to our souls! But when we see trouble at the door, we should get ready for it. Alas, even believers often look at the Redeemer's sufferings in a drowsy manner, and instead of being ready to die with Christ, they are not even prepared to watch with him one hour.
Commentary on Mark 14:43-52
(Read Mark 14:43-52)
Because Christ appeared not as a temporal prince, but preached repentance, reformation, and a holy life, and directed men's thoughts, and affections, and aims to another world, therefore the Jewish rulers sought to destroy him. Peter wounded one of the band. It is easier to fight for Christ than to die for him. But there is a great difference between faulty disciples and hypocrites. The latter rashly and without thought call Christ Master, and express great affection for him, yet betray him to his enemies. Thus they hasten their own destruction.