Commentary in Simple English on the Gospel that Mark wrote

Verses 1-11 Love and Betrayal

(See Matthew 26: 2-16; Luke 22: 1-6 and also John 12:1-8.)

Mark here fits in the story of the meal at Bethany with the story of what Judas Iscariot did. Matthew does the same. John shows that the meal took place some days earlier.

It was a meal in honour of Jesus. His friends gave the meal because Jesus had raised Lazarus from death. (See John 11, especially verses 38-44.) Mary and Martha were sisters of Lazarus. Perhaps their home was not big enough for this special meal. Simon (verse 3) can hardly have been a leper at the time. Perhaps Jesus had healed Simon. [14.1]

The value of this jar of oil was the wage paid to a working man for a year. It was full of a sweet smelling oil. People made the oil from plants, which grew high in the Himalaya Mountains in northern India. It had come over deserts and mountains, perhaps by camel. This was why it cost so much.

The woman had to break the jar to let out the oil. Then she could pour it over Jesus' head. (Verse 3)

Jesus has many strange things among His treasures. There we shall find the two tiny coins (12: 42), cups of cold water (Matt 10: 42) and this broken jar. God grant that I may add something to His collection!

Judas Iscariot spoke against what the woman had done. There was no love for Jesus in his heart. This meant that he could not understand her love. Some of the other followers of Jesus seem to have gone along with Judas. This must have been very hard for the woman. Jesus, however, receives what she so lovingly did. All who seek to serve Christ will have such painful experiences.

When we do our best, it is simply because we love the Lord. The Lord receives our love. We must not expect that our brothers in Christ will always approve of what we do. (Verses 4 and 5). If the oil had been sold, the poor would never have got the money (John 12: 6).

The woman had done all that she could when she poured the oil on Him. Jesus would die the death of a criminal. So His body would not get the usual care before it was laid to rest (verse 8). Jesus asks us to tell others about her costly love for Him (verse 9).

Verses 10 and 11 continue the story of Judas from verses 1 and 2. Probably what Jesus said to the woman played a part. It cannot have pleased Judas.

Verses 12-16 Preparing the Passover

(See Matthew 26: 17 - 19; Luke 22: 7-13.)

The Jews had to eat the Passover meal in Jerusalem. Jesus had already made his plans for this. As with the donkey, (11: 1-3), Jesus had been in touch with someone.

Many people with houses in Jerusalem had extra rooms built. These were on top of the flat roofs. Visitors to the city used them at times like the Passover. (See 2 Kings 4: 10 for an Old Testament example.) We do not know whose house this was. It may well have been the home of Mark and his father and mother.

The Passover was the great day of the Jewish year. There would be crowds in Jerusalem and great excitement. It was the first day on which only bread made without yeast (unleavened bread) could be eaten. The priests in the Temple killed a lamb for each group who ate the meal.

So Jesus sends off two of His followers into Jerusalem. Men would only carry water in a skin bottle. So they would notice a man with a jar of water. They were to follow him to his house. This may have been so that the crowds would not know where Jesus went for the Passover meal (verse 14). The owner of the house may have agreed with Jesus to send out a man with a jar. So the master of the house shows the two followers of Jesus the upstairs room. All they had to do was to buy and prepare the food for the big meal (verses 15 and 16).

We do not know how many people joined Jesus for this meal. It may not have been only the Twelve. Groups of from ten to twenty people usually ate the meal. It might go on until midnight, but not later than that. The Jews did not sit on chairs at a table to eat. They lay down and supported themselves with their left arm. They stretched their feet out behind them.

Verses 17-26 The Lord's Supper

(See Matthew 26: 17-30; Luke 22: 7-23; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-25.)

The Jews had not fixed the order of the Passover meal at the time of Jesus. Not all the Jews did the same thing. We cannot therefore be sure how what Jesus did fitted into the order of the meal. This, however, is the likely order of the stages: -

Jesus told His followers that one of them would betray Him. They found it hard to believe this. They all said:. 'Can you possibly mean me?'

It is good to see that they did not turn on one another and say: 'It must be you'. Not even Judas came to their thoughts (verse 19). Then Jesus made known who it was. They had reached stage 8 above. They dipped pieces of bread into the dish of stewed fruit. Jesus and Judas dipped their pieces of bread at the same time. Judas knew that Jesus had spoken about him (verse 20). At this stage Judas went out. He had already spoken to the enemies of Jesus. They had offered him money (verse 11).

Judas is a warning to us all. He knew Jesus well. Jesus had made him one of the Twelve. He had heard Jesus teaching. He had seen works of power. The blessings we enjoy will not save us. It was money Judas loved, not Jesus. Mark does not tell us about the death of Judas. (See Acts 1: 16-20.)

Luke 22: 17 and 18 may speak about the third cup of wine (Stage 10 above). We cannot be at all sure about this. I suggest that Jesus then brought out the hidden piece of bread. He said a blessing. He broke the bread and handed it round (verse 22). Then He took the fourth cup of wine. He gave thanks for it. The followers of Jesus drank from it (verses 24 and 25). [14.2] He did not drink from it Himself.

It will help us if we think about the actions of Jesus. [14.3] Their order is full of meaning.

At the first Passover, the blood had to be shed when the lamb was killed but that was not enough. (See Exodus 12: 7). It had to be put on the door frame.

Jesus follows the same pattern with the cup of wine. Now we drink the wine and we remember the pure, holy life of our Saviour. We remember how His blood was poured out for us on Calvary.

There are at least two extra truths for us here, however.

(See Matthew 26: 31-35; Luke 22: 39.)

In these verses we may hear the voice of Mark himself rather than that of Peter. Perhaps young Mark slipped quietly out of the house when Jesus left with His followers. They went through the crowded streets of the city. Many people would be on the move after the Passover meal. Then Jesus led them into the Kidron Valley, to Gethsemane. This means 'press of oils'. There was a garden with olive trees. Probably the owner had built a wall round it. Jesus used it as a private place of prayer. [14.4]

The olive tree lives a very long time. It is of great value as a source of oil. (See Genesis 8: 11; Zechariah 4: 3; Psalm 128: 3.) The farmer pressed or crushed the fruit to get the oil out. Paul speaks of the olive in Romans 11: 17-21. [14.5]

Jesus warns His followers as they walk together. They will fail Him badly. He then takes up some words from Zechariah 13: 1. Jesus is the shepherd. He will receive a heavy blow. The followers are the sheep. They will be like sheep with no shepherd to care for them. They will run off in all directions. They would, however, come to no real harm (verse 27).

Then Jesus says once more that He will rise from the dead. He will then lead them again like a shepherd and He will meet them in Galilee (verse 28). Notice that Mark speaks again about this saying of Jesus in 16:7. Mark planned to tell us about that meeting. He broke off writing his Gospel before he reached that point. We do not know why. We read about the meeting in Galilee in Matthew 28: 16-20; and perhaps in 1 Corinthians 15:6.

Peter is too sure of himself. He will do better, he says, than the other followers of Jesus. He will stand by Jesus, come what may (verse 29). In 8: 31, Peter thought the way of suffering was not for Jesus. Here, he thinks that he can join Jesus in it. But Jesus had to go alone to the cross. Jesus warns Peter that he will say three times over that he does not know Jesus at all. This will happen in only a few hours’ time (verse 30). Peter's pride leads the others to make the same mistake (verse 31).

Verses 32-42 In Gethsemane

(See Matthew 26: 36-46; Luke 22: 40-46; John 18: 1.)

Jesus told some of His followers to sit down. Once Peter, James and John had seen God's glory shine from Him (9:2). Now they would see His pain and the beginning of His suffering (verses 32 and 33).

How our Lord felt the great load of His people's sin which rested on Him! Sins, which were not His own at all, were a heavy load to Him. Yet He was the God-Man Who had no sin of His own. What will sin do at the Day of Judgment to those who are not forgiven? (Verse 34).

Jesus went 'a little farther'. It is good for us to know that Jesus has always gone 'a little farther' than us into pain and suffering. We have to pass through suffering to find joy (John 16: 20).

The custom of the Jews was to stand up to pray. Now Jesus fell down (verse 35). Prayer is the best way to find help in our times of trouble. Jesus knows that what awaits Him is horrible. So He prays to God: 'Take this cup away'. Three times He prays. He calls God 'Abba: My Father: Daddy'. He bows His will to the will of God His Father (verse 36). Peter, James and John had so often worked hard all night. That was when they fished on Galilee. Now they could not stay awake. It is not enough to love Jesus and to want to be faithful to Him. They must stay awake and pray (verses 37 and 38).

In verse 41, Jesus says 'Enough'. There is no need for the fight within Him to go on any longer.

Peter and the others were asleep. Judas Iscariot was very much awake. He was busy. As Jesus spoke they saw the light of torches. This showed where Judas and the party with him came towards the Garden from the city (verse 42). Jesus went forward to meet Judas. The others followed Him but they were still sleepy.

(See Matthew 26: 47-56; Luke 22: 47-50; John 18: 3-11.)

Judas had with him a party of men. Some of them were the Temple Police. These were not Roman soldiers. They carried heavy sticks of wood and swords. They were ready to fight if they had to. They came with the authority of the Jewish Council (verse 43). They did not dare to take Jesus in the day time. That might have caused too much trouble with the crowds. So they had to get the right man at night time. The sign, which Judas gives, is to kiss Jesus over and over again in the darkness. That way they can pick out Jesus. So despite the love which Jesus had to Judas and the warnings that He had given him, Judas betrays Him (verse 45). Perhaps Mark could not name Peter who cut off the ear of one of the party from the Temple, with a short sword or perhaps his fish knife (verse 47).

Verse 48 is important. Jesus did not lead His followers in a rising against the Jewish authorities or against Rome. Jesus had taught openly day after day. They could have taken Him away then (verse 49).

It was a mercy that the rest of the Twelve were able to run off. Jesus did not call them to fight for Him (verse 50). We cannot hope that any of us would have been braver than they were.

We cannot be sure that Mark was in the Garden. If he was, then he must be the young man who lost his outer clothes and ran away (verses 51,52). The other three Gospels do not speak about this

How little we Christians know about the weakness of our own hearts until we are put to the test. Big talk about what we will do when trouble comes does not help us. (1 Kings 20: 11). After you have been tested you can praise God for His help.

So now, the Temple police tied Jesus up with ropes (John 18: 12). Yet He was the One who came into the world to set us free from our sins.

(See Matthew 26: 57-58; Luke 22: 66-71; John 18: 19-24.)

The High Priest and the Jewish Council tried Jesus first. However, the Romans did not allow them to put anyone to death. [14.6] The Jews did when it suited them, of course. (See Acts 7: 54- 8: 1.) Jesus had to die on the cross. The Jews would have stoned Him. But then what the Old Testament scriptures said was to happen would not have taken place.

So the Jews had decided that Jesus should die. The Jewish leaders took Him to the Roman Governor. His name was Pontius Pilate. The Roman custom was to deal with law cases right at the start of the day. This was in the open air. Any later in the day the case would have to be dealt with in the palace (John 18: 28). So the Jewish Council had to deal with the case before the break of day. [14.5] Mark tells us about the Roman trial in 15: 1-20. This is after the story of Peter's fall. In verse 53, the Jews lead Jesus to an upstairs hall at the home of Caiaphas. There the Jewish Council had met together. Peter and another of the followers of Jesus (see John 18: 15 and 16) followed Jesus into the courtyard of the house, down below.

Now the enemies of Jesus judge the Judge of all. They did not expect Jesus to fall into their hands so soon. They had not properly prepared the case (verses 55-59). They remembered some words that Jesus had said (John 2: 19). Jesus meant then that if the Jews destroyed His body, He would rise again after three days. He did not speak about the Jerusalem temple at all.

Jesus chose to remain silent (Isaiah 53: 7). His wisdom had so often been enough to deal with His enemies. Surely had He spoken now He would have silenced them all. So the high priest asks Jesus whether He was more than the Messiah. Is He the Son of the Blessed One, that is, the Son of God? Had our Lord Jesus been only the Messiah, the Jews would not have become so angry. They would have said: 'Get on with it. Drive the Romans out. We will give you our help'.

Verse 62 is wonderful. First, Jesus uses the very words that He used in 6: 50. So He makes it clear that He is indeed God. Then He says that He is also true man. He is 'the Son of Man'. He will be the Judge of those who then judged Him. They will see Him seated in the place of power. 'The Mighty One' is, if course, God Himself. Twenty two times the New Testament says that Jesus is now seated at God's right hand. (See for example Hebrews 1: 3; 1: 13; 8: 1; 10: 12 and 13; 12: 2.) This is a truth to warm your heart. Christ has not only risen from death. He has gone up from the earth through all the heavens (Hebrew 4: 14). More than that, He sat down. He has finished His work. God the Father has received Him into glory. (Acts 3: 21; Isaiah 52: 13). He is seated now with God the Father. He will come again 'on the clouds of heaven' (Acts 1: 11)

This was too much for the high priest. He forgot the forms, which the Law called for (verse 63). The Council agreed that the Lord of Life should be put to death (verse 64).

They may have put a cloth over His eyes so that He could not see. This may have been because of one of their stranger ideas. They thought their Messiah would be able to judge just by smelling! (Verse 65). (See Isaiah 11: 3.)

Mark now goes back to the story of Peter (verse 54). Perhaps Peter had thought that Jesus would make a stand against His enemies. Peter wanted to be there if he did. Peter stood and warmed himself in the cold night air in the courtyard. First a servant girl speaks to him (verse 67). Peter says strongly that he did not know Jesus (verse 68). Perhaps he was worried about being safe himself. He goes out to the gateway. He wants the people there to think well of him. It happens over again in verses 69 and 70. People could tell by the way in which he spoke that he came from Galilee. The third time, Peter made his reply. This time he used bad words. He had not spoken like that since he had first known Jesus. He was ashamed of the very name of Jesus. (Verse 71) [14.7]. He did not remember the warning that Jesus had given to him. Peter went out and wept.

The sorrow of Peter was for himself and God to know. If we are too sure of ourselves when we begin something, it will finish in shame.

We can trace the stages in Peter's case. In verse 29, he was too sure of himself. In verse 31 he thought that he was rather better than the others were. In verse 37 he failed to pray. In verse 54 he went after Jesus when it was not his duty to do so. Then in verses 66-71 he mixes with people who have no love for Jesus (Psalm 1: 1). These are often the mistakes that we make when we fail our Saviour.