Mark 14

Chap. XIV. Ver. 1—72. “There is an essential difference between the general character of faulty disciples, and that of hypocrites. These often prove traitors, and deliberately join the enemies of Christ in opposing his cause: they conceal their crimes, by attending on ordinances and sacraments; and, whilst they presumptuously call Christ their Lord and Master, and express great affection for him, they betray him into the hands of his implacable enemies. Thus they hasten their own destruction, and ‘it would have been better for them had they never been born.’ In the conduct of our suffering Lord, we see the brightest pattern of meekness, patience, fortitude, holiness, and compassion to sinners, that the earth or even the creation at large ever witnessed: we here perceive likewise the desert of sin, the worth of our souls, the foundation of our hope, and the nature of our Christian calling; which is to do good with unwearied reverence, and to endure evil with fortitude, meekness, and patience, after the example of our gracious Saviour.

Thus may we look forward with comfort to the time, when we ‘shall see the Son of man, sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of hea- SIE asec. aia oe ee a ee ee ven; and hope to be numbered with his victorious army of glorified saints; when all his persecutors and enemies will be driven away into everlasting destruction. But when we hear Peter, after all his promises and resolutions, repeatedly denying his Lord with oaths and curses, we may well tremble to reflect on the weakness and depravity even of believers, if left to themselves; we may take occasion from the reflection to admire the mercy and patience of our God; we may be excited to thankfulness, that we have not yet been left utterly to forpid ea Se See RR A ioe I a ale sake him; and we may confess with shame our manifold instances of partial unfaithfulness.

Finally, ‘Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall:’ and let him that has fallen think of these things, and of his own offences, and return to the Lord with weeping and supplication, with deep repentance and lively faith; still hoping to receive forgiveness, to be restored to ‘ the joy of God’s salvation,’ and to be henceforth established by his free Spirit.”—T. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIV. Ver. 1—11. After two days.—So (Matthew 26:2-16). Ver. 3. An alabaster box.—So called, as Parkhurst thinks, from their being made of alabaster stone.—And she brake.—Campbell, ‘Brake open’ the box. Probably it was somehow sealed, as bottles often are with us, to prevent evaporation. See Harmer. Ver. 6. Three hundred pence.—About $41.50 of our money. Ver. 8. She hath done what.—[“It appears to me more probable,” says Dr. Doddridge, “that Matthew and Mark should have introduced this story out of its place; that Lazarus, if he made this feast, (which is not expressly said by John,) should have made use of Simon’s house, as more convenient; and that Mary should have poured this ointment on Christ’s head and body, as well as on his feet; than that, within the compass of four days, Christ should have been twice anointed with so costly a perfume; and that the same fault should be found with the action, and the same value set upon the ointment, and the same words used in defence of the woman, and all this in the presence of many of the same persons: all which improbable particulars must be admitted, if the stories be considered as different.”

‘The rebuke which Judas received from Christ at this unction determined him in his resolution to betray his Master, and, therefore, Christ’s rebuke, and Judas’s revenge, are united, as cause and effect, by Matthew and Mark.’—Bagster. Ver. 12—26. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed, &c.—The passage parallel to this section is (Matthew 26:17-25). Ver. 22. This is my body—[That is, this represents my body; the substantive verb, whether expressed or understood, being often equivalent to signifies or represents.]—Bagster. Ver. 26. A hymn—or “Psalin.” Ver. 27—42. And Jesus saith unto them, &c.—See the parallel text in (Matthew 26:26-46). But the order is somewhat different. Verses 33, 34.

Sore amazed, &c.—“Being seized with grief and horror, said to them, My soul is overwhelmed with a deadly anguish.” Ver. 51. A certain young man, &c.—‘Though this incident may not appear of great moment, (says Dr. Campbell,) it is, in my opinion, one of those circumstances which we call picturesque; which, though in a manner unconnected with the story, enlivens the narrative, and adds to its credibility. It must have been late in the night, when (as has been very probably conjectured) some young man, whose house lay near the garden, being roused out of sleep by the noise of the soldiers and armed retinue passing by, got up and stimulated by curiosity, wrapped himself (as Casawbon supposes) in the cloth in which he had been sleeping, and ran after them.

This is such an incident as is very likely to have happened, but most unlikely to have been invented.” Ver. 56. Agreed not together.—Campbell, “Was insufficient.” So ver. 59. Ver. 58. Build another made without hands.—It is observable that Matthew omits the latter clause, and in this probably the witnesses disagreed; though, had they agreed, it could not have amounted to a capital charge. Ver. 61. Son of the Blessed.—The high priest used probably both noun and adjective. Matthew records one, and Mark the other; but this makes no contradiction. ‘The Jews, when they name God, generally add blessed for ever, and by the Blessed, they meant God the Father.’ Ver. 62. The Son of man.—[The passage of Daniel, to which our Lord refers, was always considered by the Jews as a description of the Messiah.

In Zohar, it is said, referring to this prophecy, “This is the King Messiah.” Our Saviour, therefore, now in his lowest state of humiliation, asserted his claims as the Messiah, who shall appear in the clouds of heaven, as the judge of the world.]—Bagster. Ver. 65. And to cover his face—Which Luke calls blind-folding. See note on Matthew xxvi. 68. 1088 Ver. 66—72. And as Peter was beneath, &c.—The parallel text to this is (Matthew 26:69-75). If Peter had any superintendence of Mark’s gospel, as our Introduction supposes, it is plain he wished not to conceal or palliate his guilt for Mark records the three denials of his Master; the last time with oaths and Ver. 68. Into the porch.—Doddridge, “Portico.”

Ver. 69. And a maid—That is, as Matthew expresses it, “another maid.” Ver. 70. They that stood by.—Several by-standers seem to have accused him.—Thy speech agreeth thereto.—[“Thy dialect,” or mode of speech. From various examples produced by Lightfoot and Schoetgen, it appears that the Galileans used a very corrupt dialect and pronunciation; interchanging the west and other letters, and so blending or dividing words as to render them unintelligible, or convey a contrary sense. Thus, when a Galilean would have asked, “whose is this lamb,” he pronounced the first word so confusedly that it could not be known whether he meant chamor, ‘an ass,’ chamar, ‘wine,’ amar, ‘wool,’ or immar, ‘a lamb.’

A certain woman, intending to say to a judge, ‘My lord, I had a picture which they stole; and it was so great, that if you had been placed in it, your feet would not have touched the ground,’ so spoiled it by her pronunciation, that her words meant, ‘Sir slave, I had a beam, and they stole thee away; and it was so great, that if they had hung thee on it, thy feet would not have touched the ground.’]—Bagster. Ver. 71. Began to curse and to swear.—Doubtless to prove grave that he was not a disciple. Let all profane persons consider this! Ver. 72. Before the cock crow twice.—Peter denied his Master before the cock crew the first time (ver. 68;) but he denied him three times before the cock crew twice.—And when he thought thereon, he wept.—Campbell says, ‘There are not many words in Scripture which have undergone more interpretations than this term (epibalon.) Our translators give two of these in the margin.

1. “He wept abundantly.” 2. “He began to weep.” 3. Doddridge reads, “Covering (his head) he went out,” &c., and many more may be seen in Campbell, who, however, returns nearly to the sense of the common version, and renders it, “He thought carefully thereon with tears.”’ ome hl Ver. 1. The whole council.—Doddridge and Campbell, “San- Ver. 5. Yet answered nothing—That is, to the charges of the Jews. He had only answered to the high priest and Roman governor. See ver. 2. Ver. 16. The Pretorium—(Was properly the tent or house of the pretor, a military, and sometimes a civil officer. This was a magnificent edifice in the upper part of the city, which had been formerly Herod’s palace, and from which there was an approach to the citadel of Antonia, which adjoined the temple.—Josephus.

—Bagster. Ver. 17. And they clothed him with purple.—Matthew says “scarlet.” Wesley says the royal robes were partly of both colours; but this was probably a single robe. By the frequent allusions of the ancient poets to the purple colour of blood, it should seem that the ancient purple had in it a predominance of red, which when worn and soiled, would resemble such purple; but it is very difficult to ascertain the shades of difference between the scarlet, crimson, and purple dyes of the ancients. Ver. 21. The father of Alexander and Rufus—Who afterwards proved eminent Christians.—Wesley. Ver. 23. Wine mingled with myrrh.—This was a drink given to criminals doomed to suffer death, in order to stupify their feelings.

Our Lord would not consent to taste a drink, that brought relief by blunting the sensibilities of the soul. What a reproof to those who, in times of sorrow, betake themselves to strong drink—or to those who sacrifice their reason on the altar of intempe- Ver. 25. The third hour—What is, nine in the morning. See note on (John 19:14). Ver. 34. My God, my God, why—([Or, “My God, my God, to what sort of persons hast thou left me.” So also the Syriac version; which Dr. A. Clarke is inclined to adopt; though he observes, “Whatever may be thought of the above mode of interpretation, one thing is certain, that the words could not be used by our Lord in the sense in which they are generally understood.

This is sufficiently evident; for he well knew why he was come unto that hour, nor could he be forsaken of God, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The eit however, might restrain so much of its consolatory support, as to leave the human nature fully sensible of all its sufferings; so that the consolations might not take off any part of the keen edge of his passion; and this was necessary to make his sufferings meritorious.”]—Bagster. Ver. 37. Cried with a loud voice, &c.—viz. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Ver. 42. When the even was come.—The Hebrews speak of two evenings. The former commenced about three o’clock, the latter at six. As the sabbath began soon after this, the preparation must have begun soon after three (when Jesus died) on the Friday afternoon. Ver.

43. An honourable counsellor.—Campbell, “Senator;” i.e. a member of the Sanhedrim.—Waited for the kingdom of God—i.e. for the manifestation of the spiritual kingdom of the Messiah. Ver. 46. And rolled a stone.—Doubtless by the assistance of his servants.