Bible Commentaries

It was now two days before the Feast of Passover. See notes on Matthew 26:1-16. This action of the Jewish leaders (Sanhedrin) took place on Wednesday. The anointing happened the Saturday before this, and is mentioned now in connection with Judas. John 12:1-8 points out that it was Judas who complained about wasting the perfume. Luke 22:3-6 implies that it may have been his anger at the wasting of the perfume which caused him to go to the chief priests and offer to hand Jesus over to them.

10-11. Then Judas Iscariot. See notes on Matthew 26:14-16.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This lasted seven days after the Passover, and also celebrated the Rescue from Egypt. See notes on Matthew 26:17-19.

When it was evening. On the Lord's last Passover [the Last Supper] see notes on Matthew 26:20-25. Also see notes on John 13:21-30.

Jesus was still speaking. See notes on Matthew 26:47-56. Only Mark tells the incident in Mark 14:51-52. Many think the "certain young man" was Mark himself. Mark's mother lived in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25), and some think the Passover was eaten and the Lord's Supper instituted in the upstairs room of her house. The "linen cloth" was a night robe [sindon] which only the wealthy would wear. Mark was not an apostle, but was very close to them. When they left the upstairs room and went with Jesus to Gethsemane, Mark might have put on his linen robe and followed them but into the night. This whole incident shows the panic of the disciples when the attack suddenly struck them.

Then they took Jesus to the High Priest's house. See notes on Matthew 26:57-68. Compare the parallel verses in the other Gospels,

Peter was still down in the courtyard. See notes on Matthew 26:69-75. And he broke down and cried. The Greek uses a verb which shows continuous actions, to emphasize Peter's sorrow. Geikie writes: "It is a touching and beautiful tradition, true to the sincerity of his repentance, if not as a historical reality, that, all his life long, the remembrance of this night never left him, and that, morning by morning, he rose at the hour when the look of his Master had entered his soul, to pray once more for pardon." Compare Jesus' prophecy (Luke 22:32), and the event of John 21:15-17.