aIt was now two days before bthe Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes cwere searching for a deceitful way to arrest Jesus and kill Him; Matt 26:2-5; Luke 22:1, 2Mark 14:1, 2: <IT>Matt 26:2-5; Luke 22:1, 2</IT>Ex 12:1-27; Mark 14:12; John 11:55; 13:1Matt 12:14 2 but they were saying, “Not during the festival, for the people might riot.”
3 aWhile He was in bBethany as a guest at the home of 1Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a 2woman came with an alabaster vial of cvery costly and precious perfume of pure 3nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head.See note Matt 26:6.John the Apostle identifies this woman as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Matt 26:7; John 12:3). Jesus was anointed in a similar way by an unnamed woman when he was in Galilee dining at the home of a Pharisee (Luke 7:36-39).See note Matt 26:7.Mark 14:3-9: <IT>Matt 26:6-13; </IT> Luke 7:37-39; John 12:1-8Matt 21:17Matt 26:6f; John 12:3 4 But there were 1some who were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?Judas may have been the instigator of this complaint (John 12:4-6). 5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii a laborer’s wages for almost a year, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why are you bothering her and causing trouble? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me. 7 For you always have athe poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me. Deut 15:11Deut 15:11; Matt 26:11; John 12:8 8 She has done what she could; ashe has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.John 19:40 9 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, awherever the good news regarding salvation is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”Matt 26:13
10 aThen Judas Iscariot, bwho was one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. Matt 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6; John 6:71Mark 14:10, 11: <IT>Matt 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6</IT>John 6:71 11 When they heard this they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus.
12 aOn the first day of the festival of 1bUnleavened Bread, when as was customary they csacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” Matt 26:17-19; Luke 22:7-13This remembrance lasted eight days. The Passover lambs were selected on the 10th of Nisan (March/April) and sacrificed on the 14th of Nisan (the first day of the feast). The Passover meal was eaten that same night (the 15th of Nisan). Passover was immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread (15-21 Nisan). The terms “Passover” and “The Feast of Unleavened Bread” were used interchangeably.Mark 14:12-16: <IT>Matt 26:17-19; Luke 22:7-13</IT>Matt 26:17Deut 16:5; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:7; 1 Cor 5:7 13 And He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a 1man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him;Water jars were usually carried by women, so it would have been easy to notice a manservant performing this task. 14 and say to the 1owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is My aguest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’Tradition identifies the owner of the house as Mark’s father.Luke 22:11 15 He will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready with carpets and dining couches; prepare the supper for us there.” 16 The disciples left and went to the city and found everything just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 aWhen it was evening, He came with the twelve disciples. Matt 26:20-25Mark 14:17-21: <IT>Matt 26:20-24; Luke 22:14, 21-23; </IT> John 13:18ff 18 While they were reclining at the table, Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” Ps 41:9 19 They began to be grieved and deeply distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 And He replied, “It is one of the twelve disciples, one who is dipping bread in the bowl with Me. 21 For the Son of Man goes to the cross just as it is written in Scripture 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 aWhile they were eating, Jesus took bread and 1bblessed it giving thanks and praise, and He broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take it. This is My body.” Matt 26:26-29; Luke 22:17-20; 1+@Cor 11:23-25See note Matt 26:26.Mark 14:22-25: <IT>Matt 26:26-29; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25; </IT> Mark 10:16Matt 14:19 23 And when He had taken a cup of wine and 1given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. Ex 24:8See note Matt 26:27. 24 And He said to them, “This is My ablood of the new bcovenant, My blood which is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.Ex 24:8Jer 31:31-34 25 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 aAfter they had sung a 1hymn, they went out to bthe Mount of Olives.The Hallel psalms (113-118) were sung at Passover.Matt 26:30Matt 21:1
27 aJesus said to them, “You will all fall away and be ashamed and be afraid to be associated with Me as disciples, because it is written, ‘bI WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP WILL BE SCATTERED.’ Zech 13:7Mark 14:27-31: <IT>Matt 26:31-35</IT>Zech 13:7 28 But after I have been raised from the dead, aI will go ahead of you to Galilee.”Matt 28:16 29 But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all fall away and desert You, ashamed and afraid of being associated with You, yet I will not do so!” 30 Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, athis very night, before ba rooster crows twice, you will deny that you even know Me three times.” Matt 26:34; John 13:38Matt 26:34Mark 14:68, 72; John 13:38 31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing as well.
32 aThen they went to a place called Gethsemane; and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit down here until I have prayed.” Matt 26:36-46; Luke 22:40-46Mark 14:32-42: <IT>Matt 26:36-46; Luke 22:40-46</IT> 33 He took Peter and James and John with Him, and He began to be deeply adistressed and troubled extremely anguished at the prospect of what was to come.Mark 9:15; 16:5, 6 34 And He said to them, “aMy soul is deeply grieved and overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”Matt 26:38; John 12:27 35 After going a little farther, He fell to the ground distressed by the weight of His spiritual burden and began to pray that if it were possible in the Father’s will, athe hour of suffering and death for the sins of mankind might pass from Him.Matt 26:45; Mark 14:41 36 He was saying, “1aAbba, Father! All things are possible for You; take this cup of judgment away from Me; bbut not what I will, but what You will.”An Aramaic word used by young children when addressing their fathers, but not used by Jews in prayer because of the word’s implied familiarity. Jesus’ use of the word emphasized his Father-Son relationship with God.Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6Matt 26:39 37 And He came back and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Were you unable to keep watch for one hour? 38 aKeep actively watching and praying so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the 1body is weak.”Lit flesh.Matt 26:41 39 He went away again and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again He came back and found them sleeping, because their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know how to answer Him. 41 He came back a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! aThe hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.Mark 14:35 42 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is near!”
43 aAnd at once, while He was still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, came up, and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the Sanhedrin. Matt 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-11Mark 14:43-50: <IT>Matt 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-11</IT> 44 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away safely under guard.” 45 When Judas came, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “aRabbi !” and he 1kissed Him forcefully.A kiss on either the hand or cheek was a common gesture of greeting and reverence given to a Rabbi by his disciples. The purpose of Judas’ exaggerated kiss would be to help the soldiers identify Jesus.Matt 23:7 46 They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47 But one of the bystanders Simon Peter drew his sword and struck Malchus the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Matt 26:51; Luke 22:50; John 18:10 48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49 Day after day I was with you, teaching ain the courts and porches of the temple, and you did not seize Me; but this has happened so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.”Mark 12:35; Luke 19:47; 21:37 50 Then all of His disciples abandoned Him and fled.
51 A young 1man was following Him, wearing only a linen sheet over his naked body; and some men seized him.Perhaps this was Mark, the writer of this gospel. If the Passover meal had been held in the house of Mark’s father, Judas and the crowd may have looked for Jesus there before going to Gethsemane. Mark, being awakened by the crowd, could have followed them to the garden wearing only what he slept in. 52 But pulling free of the linen sheet, he escaped from them naked.
53 aThey led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together. Matt 26:57-68; Luke 22:66-71; John 18:12f, 19-24Mark 14:53-65: <IT>Matt 26:57-68; John 18:12f, 19-24</IT> 54 Peter had followed Him at a distance, aright into bthe courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers guards and servants and cwarming himself at the fire.Mark 14:68Matt 26:3Mark 14:67; John 18:18 55 Now the chief priests and the entire aCouncil were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus which they could use to have Him condemned and executed, but they were not finding any.Matt 5:22 56 For many people were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimonies were not consistent. 57 Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘aI will destroy this temple that was made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” John 2:19-21Matt 26:61; Mark 15:29; John 2:19 59 Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 60 The high priest stood up and came forward and asked Jesus, “Have You no answer to give in response to what these men are testifying against You?” 61 aBut Jesus kept silent and gave no answer at all. bAgain the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ , the Son of the 1Blessed One?”In the Talmud, God is frequently referred to as “the Holy One, Blessed be He.”Matt 26:63Mark 14:61-63: <IT>Matt 26:63ff; Luke 22:67-71</IT> 62 Jesus said, “I am; and you will all see aTHE SON OF MAN SEATED with authority AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER , and bCOMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Ps 110:1; Dan 7:13Ps 110:1; Mark 13:26Dan 7:13 63 Then 1atearing his robe to express his indignation, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? Num 14:6This was a response required by Jewish law for judges who had heard blasphemy. However, OT law forbade the high priest to tear his clothing (Lev 10:6; 21:10).Num 14:6; Matt 26:65; Acts 14:14 64 You have heard the ablasphemy that is, His claim to be the Son of God. What is your decision?” And they all condemned Him to be guilty and deserving of death. Lev 24:16Lev 24:16 65 And some began to aspit on Him, and bto blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “cProphesy by telling us who hit you!” Then the officers took custody of Him and struck him in the face.Matt 26:67; Mark 10:34Esth 7:8Matt 26:68; Luke 22:64
66 aWhile Peter was down below in bthe courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, Matt 26:69-75; Luke 22:55-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27Mark 14:66-72: <IT>Matt 26:69-75; Luke 22:56-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27</IT>Mark 14:54 67 and when she saw Peter awarming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You were with Jesus the bNazarene, too.”Mark 14:54Mark 1:24 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Then he awent out of the courtyard to the porch, [1and a rooster crowed.]Later mss add this clause.Mark 14:54 69 The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to tell the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again ahe denied it. After a little while, the bystanders again said to Peter, “You are in fact one of them, bfor it is clear from your accent, that you are a Galilean, too.”Mark 14:68Matt 26:73; Luke 22:59 71 But he began to 1invoke a curse on himself and to swear an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!”In Judaism such a curse took the form of “May I always be afflicted if I am not being truthful,” or “May I bury my son if…,” or “May I never see the comfort of Zion and Jerusalem if…,” etc. (as found in the Talmud). 72 Immediately a rooster crowed the second time. And Peter remembered what Jesus said to him: “Before aa rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And thinking of this, he began weeping in anguish.Mark 14:30, 68