Bible Commentaries

After two days was, &c.; was to be; that is, it was to take place in two days a after this time.

A woman. This was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who was serving at the table, her brother Lazarus being present as a guest. (John 12:2.) Her name is not mentioned by Mark, apparently because he had not given any previous account of Lazarus or of the family.--Brake the box; opened it, by breaking the seal or coverings.

To anoint my body to the burying. The hour of the Savior's crucifixion was drawing near. This took place on Wednesday, and on Friday Jesus was to die.

Judeas Iscariot was the one chiefly dissatisfied with the honor which Mary had paid to Jesus. (John 12:4-5.)

Conveniently; secretly, at night, when he was alone, so that he should not be rescued by the populace.

The feast of unleavened bread was to commemorate the sudden departure of the Israelites from Egypt, when, in the haste and confusion of their flight, they were obliged to use bread prepared without leaven. It commenced on. the day of the passover,--in this case on Friday,--and continued seven days. (Exodus 12:11-43.)

Into the city; Jerusalem.

Mark 14:13-16. Special precautions were necessary in order that the place where Jesus was to eat the passover might be concealed; otherwise the solemn services of the last supper might have been broken in upon by a band of armed men.--Good man of the house; the master of the house, the man whom they met with the pitcher being a servant.

That is, the event must take place, as predetermined in the sovereign counsels of God,--but woe to the wicked agent through whose instrumentality the work is done. This is a very strong and remarkable assertion of the great moral truth, that the sovereignty of God is absolute and entire over every event that comes to pass, while yet it does not shield the guilty from moral responsibility for the part they perform in the accomplishment of his designs. The calm decision with which the principle is asserted in reference to so very strong a case, directly involving as it does, the great difficulty of difficulties in moral philosophy, makes this one of the most remarkable passages in the sacred Scriptures. The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him, but woe unto him by whom he is betrayed.

The meaning here intended by the Savior is supposed to have been, that with this interview his social intercourse with his disciples would close, not to be resumed again until he should meet them in heaven.

Gethsemane; on the declivity of the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem.

Sore amazed; overwhelmed with a mysterious and bewildering horror. (Luke 22:44.) These were the commencement, we have reason to believe, of those expiatory sufferings which were consummated on the cross.

Wist they; knew they.

It was Peter; John 18:10 records his name.

A certain young man; who, hearing the tumult as this party passed his dwelling, came out in a night dress to learn the cause.

There was a strange mixture of boldness and of timidity in Peter's plan of following, the officers and their prisoner at a stance, and coming into the palace after a brief interval, with the air of an unconcerned spectator of the proceedings. As it was dark when Jesus was apprehended, he probably supposed that his features would not be recognized again, notwithstanding the prominent part which he had taken in resisting the arrest. They who know how easily men of truth are sometimes surprised into falsehood in unexpected and trying emergencies, will not wonder much, considering the circumstances of the case, at Peter's denial. If, as was probably the fact, he went into the hall assuming the air and manner of a stranger, he placed himself in a false position, and then was drawn into false declarations to avoid detection We can never resort to concealment or disguise without exposing ourselves to the most imminent moral dangers.

Jesus had used language like this, (John 2:19,) referring, however not to the temple, but to his own body

Rent clothes; with affected abhorrence of the blasphemy.

Beneath in the palace; that is, in the lower part of the hall in which the priests were assembled. That he was in the same apartment with them is shown from Luke 22:55,61--One of the maids. She had admitted him at John's request; and it seems she recognized him afterwards. (John 18:16,17.)

Thy speech agreeth thereto; corresponds with the Galilean dialect.

Called to mind, &c. He was reminded of it by a look from the Savior.