141 And the passover and the unleavened food were after two days, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, by guile, having taken hold of him, they might kill him; 2 and they said, 'Not in the feast, lest there shall be a tumult of the people.'
3 And he, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, at his reclining (at meat), there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very precious, and having broken the alabaster box, did pour on his head; 4 and there were certain much displeased within themselves, and saying, 'For what hath this waste of the ointment been made? 5 for this could have been sold for more than three hundred denaries, and given to the poor;' and they were murmuring at her. 6 And Jesus said, 'Let her alone; why are ye giving her trouble? a good work she wrought on me; 7 for the poor always ye have with you, and whenever ye may will ye are able to do them good, but me ye have not always; 8 what she could she did, she anticipated to anoint my body for the embalming. 9 Verily I say to you, wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what also this woman did shall be spoken of—for a memorial of her.'
10 And Judas the Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests that he might deliver him up to them, 11 and having heard, they were glad, and promised to give him money, and he was seeking how, conveniently, he might deliver him up.
12 And the first day of the unleavened food, when they were killing the passover, his disciples say to him, 'Where wilt thou, 'that,' having gone, we may prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover?' 13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith to them, 'Go ye away to the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow him; 14 and wherever he may go in, say ye to the master of the house—The Teacher saith, Where is the guest-chamber, where the passover, with my disciples, I may eat? 15 and he will shew you a large upper room, furnished, prepared—there make ready for us.' 16 And his disciples went forth, and came to the city, and found as he said to them, and they made ready the passover. 17 And evening having come, he cometh with the twelve, 18 and as they are reclining, and eating, Jesus said, 'Verily I say to you—one of you, who is eating with me—shall deliver me up.' 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him, one by one, 'Is it I?' and another, 'Is it I?' 20 And he answering said to them, 'One of the twelve who is dipping with me in the dish; 21 the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but wo to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up; good were it to him if that man had not been born.' 22 And as they are eating, Jesus having taken bread, having blessed, brake, and gave to them, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' 23 And having taken the cup, having given thanks, he gave to them, and they drank of it—all; 24 and he said to them, 'This is my blood of the new covenant, which for many is being poured out; 25 verily I say to you, that no more may I drink of the produce of the vine till that day when I may drink it new in the reign of God.'
26 And having sung an hymn, they went forth to the mount of the Olives, 27 and Jesus saith to them—'All ye shall be stumbled at me this night, because it hath been written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad, 28 but after my having risen I will go before you to Galilee.' 29 And Peter said to him, 'And if all shall be stumbled, yet not I;' 30 And Jesus said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, that to-day, this night, before a cock shall crow twice, thrice thou shalt deny me.' 31 And he spake the more vehemently, 'If it may be necessary for me to die with thee—I will in nowise deny thee;' and in like manner also said they all.
32 And they come to a spot, the name of which 'is' Gethsemane, and he saith to his disciples, 'Sit ye here till I may pray;' 33 and he taketh Peter, and James, and John with him, and began to be amazed, and to be very heavy, 34 and he saith to them, 'Exceeding sorrowful is my soul—to death; remain here, and watch.' 35 And having gone forward a little, he fell upon the earth, and was praying, that, if it be possible the hour may pass from him, 36 and he said, 'Abba, Father; all things are possible to Thee; make this cup pass from me; but, not what I will, but what Thou.' 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith to Peter, 'Simon, thou dost sleep! thou wast not able to watch one hour! 38 Watch ye and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is forward, but the flesh weak.' 39 And again having gone away, he prayed, the same word saying; 40 and having returned, he found them again sleeping, for their eyes were heavy, and they had not known what they might answer him. 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith to them, 'Sleep on henceforth, and rest—it is over; the hour did come; lo, the Son of Man is delivered up to the hands of the sinful; 42 rise, we may go, lo, he who is delivering me up hath come nigh.'
43 And immediately—while he is yet speaking—cometh near Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders; 44 and he who is delivering him up had given a token to them, saying, 'Whomsoever I shall kiss, he it is, lay hold on him, and lead him away safely,' 45 and having come, immediately, having gone near him, he saith, 'Rabbi, Rabbi,' and kissed him. 46 And they laid on him their hands, and kept hold on him; 47 and a certain one of those standing by, having drawn the sword, struck the servant of the chief priest, and took off his ear. 48 And Jesus answering said to them, 'As against a robber ye came out, with swords and sticks, to take me! 49 daily I was with you in the temple teaching, and ye did not lay hold on me—but that the Writings may be fulfilled.' 50 And having left him they all fled;
51 and a certain young man was following him, having put a linen cloth about 'his' naked body, and the young men lay hold on him, 52 and he, having left the linen cloth, did flee from them 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.