Lange Commentary - Mark 14:53

Lange Commentary - Mark 14:53 - 14:72

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Lange Commentary - Mark 14:53 - 14:72

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

4. Christ betrayed to the Jews, in the Palace of the High Priest, and before the Ecclesiastical Court. The False Witnesses. The Truthful Witness, and His sublime Testimony. The Sentence of Death. Peter’s Denial. Mar_14:53-72

(Parallels: Mat_26:57-75; Luk_22:54-71; Joh_18:12-27.)

A. Mar_14:53-65

⁵³ And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes. ⁵⁴And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed him self at the fire. ⁵⁵And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death; and found none. ⁵⁶For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. ⁵⁷And there arose certain, and bare false witness ⁵⁸ against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. ⁵⁹But neither so did their witness agree together. ⁶⁰And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? ⁶¹But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? ⁶²And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. ⁶³Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? ⁶⁴Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all con demned him to be guilty of death. ⁶⁵And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

B. Mar_14:66-72

⁶⁶ And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: ⁶⁷And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. ⁶⁸But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; [and the cock ⁶⁹ crew]. And a [the] maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. ⁷⁰And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. ⁷¹But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of ⁷² whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

See Matthew, and the parallel in Luke.—Mark gives the same account of the false witnesses as Matthew; but he is the only one who mentions the reason why the chief council obtained no false witness, viz.: the witnesses did not corroborate one another. Matthew selects two witnesses as testifying to Jesus’ statement respecting the destruction of the temple; Mark says, a few. Matthew had in mind the legal number which must be present; Mark, the smallness of the number. In Mark’s account, the false testimony is strongest on the point, “I will destroy this temple,” etc.; at the same time, he notices the contrast between the temple made with hands and that not made with hands. Again, he brings into view the conflicting nature of the testimony. Perhaps even in Matthew the divergent testimony is alluded to, under “I am able to destroy,” etc. According to Mark, the high priest comes forward into the midst. The silence is strongly marked. The adjuration of Jesus by the high priest is only implied in the remark, he interrogated Him. The testimony of Jesus is more strongly expressed than in Matthew, ἐãþ åἰìé . On the contrary, he does not report literally the sentence of death, as does Matthew. But, again, he gives us the distinct view of how the servants—probably the prison-warders—take Christ to lead Him to a place of safe custody till the next morning. Then he says that Peter was below in the entrance-hall (of the palace); and gives us, thus, to understand that the trial had taken place in an upper story, or at least in an elevated hall. The maid of the high priest calls Jesus, The Nazarene. The first statement of Peter is characteristically ambiguous. The first cock-crow is mentioned by Mark alone (according to the exact remembrance of Peter). The second attack, Mark again appears to place, contrary to Matthew, in the mouth of the same maid; but it is, without doubt, the portress of the ðñïáýëéïí that is meant. The ἕôåñïò here, alluded to by Luke, belongs to the bystanders, of whom Mark here informs us. The portress did not address Peter himself, but denounced him to those about: upon this, one of them laid hold of Peter. Of the second denial, Mark gives a shorter, and thus milder account, than Matthew; there is here no mention of the oath. Upon the second denial, immediately follows the second crowing of the cock. At the end, he marks, with a brief, forcible expression, ἐðéâáëὼí ἔêëáéå , the repentance of Peter.

Mar_14:53. And with him ( áὐôῷ ) were assembled.—Of course it is the high priest who is meant. The meaning given by Meyer is quite foreign to the passage: They come, that is, they meet Jesus there all at the same time. The words might, literally taken, bear this explanation; but the thought of their meeting there at the same time must have been expressed more precisely; not to mention, that according to Luke, several members of the Sanhedrim had joined themselves to the band, and had gone to meet the party. It was only because there was a council at the palace of the high priest that matters happened in this way, although, no doubt, the áὐôῷ which follows immediately must relate to Jesus.

Mar_14:54. At the fire, ðñὸò ôὸ öῶò .—It is an open hearth which lights and heats the hall at the same time, at which they warm themselves. The designation is employed to explain the circumstance, that Peter was recognized in the light of the fire.

Mar_14:56. Agreed not.—Two witnesses at least must agree, Deu_17:6; Deu_19:15. In the main, however, the witnesses must not contradict or another.

Mar_14:58. We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple.—The variations, as respects Matthew, constitute no difficulty in this passage; since, as is remarked by the Evangelist, the testimonies did not agree. In the contrast,—made with hands, made without hands,—we have probably one of the most false declarations. Meyer: From this it is evident that the one witness was not examined in the presence of the other. Let the conduct of the judges in the trial of Susanna be compared with this.

Mar_14:61. Of the Blessed.—The åὐëïãçôüò , or äַáָּøåּêְ , in the absolute sense, is God. Undoubtedly this is a hypocritical expression of reverence in refraining from naming the name of God, intending to designate Christ’s declaration blasphemy of God, of the Blessed. “The Sanctus Benedictus of the Rabbis is well known (Schöttgen ad Romans 9, 5).” Meyer.

Mar_14:63. His clothes, ôïὺò ÷éôῶíáò .—Comp. Note on Mat_26:65. He tore all his clothing, except that which was next his body. Winer: Persons of respectability, and travellers, sometimes wore two articles of underclothing.

Mar_14:65. And some began.—Meyer: “The members of the Sanhedrim. The servants follow.” Rather the temple attendants, who were surrounding the Lord in the hall (see John and Luke): those who afterwards took Jesus into custody, under the designation of servants, are prison warders, as Mat_5:25; hence servants in a special sense. Mark presents the scene of the mocking, which is given by Luke in detail, under the one aspect of abuse, which is in this way thrown out into stronger relief; and Matthew gives a similar view.

Mar_14:66. Beneath.—This in opposition to the hall of trial, which was higher.

Mar_14:68. I know not; or, it is unknown to me, not understood.—The double force in ïὐê ïῖ ̓ äá ïὐäὲ , ê . ô . ë ., is difficult to express. If we translate, “I know not,” this is too little; “I know Him not,” this is too much; “I recognize not,”—then we have a phrase too decidedly unconnected.—Into the porch, or, according to Matthew, the entrance-hall. It is the same idea.

Mar_14:69. And a [the] maid.—As soon as she noticed him. On the comparison between Matthew, and Luke, and Mark, consult the introductory remarks to this section. And began to say again.—As the other had begun. The first ðÜëéí relates a repetition of the denunciation to the bystanders, the second ðÜëéí to the second denial of Peter in the same circumstances; the third ðÜëéí implies that those around had already once laid hands upon Christ, and in this way substantiates the recital of Luke, Mar_14:58.

Mar_14:70. For thou art a Galilean.—Not meaning: As Jesus is also; but among the other proofs that thou art one of them, is this, that thou art a Galilean.

Mar_14:72. And Peter called to mind the word.—A similar important thought or self-recollection of Peter is related in Mar_11:21.

And when he thought thereon, he wept.—It is extremely difficult to bring out clearly what ἐðéâáëὼí ἔêëáéå imports. For the various explanations, compare Bretschneider’s Lexicon, De Wette, Meyer, etc. Many consider it as the Vulgate, cœpit flere; but this is not grammatically correct. Others, he went out hastily (analogous to the phrases in Matthew and Luke); others, he threw a covering over his head; or, he cast his eyes upon the Lord; or, he continued to weep; or, according to Ewald, he interrupted with his weeping the sound of the crowing (that is, answering with loud sobbing the crowing of the cock); or, he took notice of that sound, bethought himself of the matter. (De Wette: ̓ Åðéâáëþí refers to the cock-crow; Meyer.). We find only three interpretations tenable: 1. He flung himself forth, that is, he involuntarily rushed out, as it were meeting the cock-crow as he hurried out, according to the narratives of Matthew and Luke 2. Referring the phrase to the word of Jesus: he threw himself into it, under the condemnation of this word (took it to heart), and wept. Or, 3. making the cock-crowing to be as it were Christ’s waking call; and there upon he threw himself out of the place (as though Christ had called him; Leben Jesu, iii. 334), and wept. First a rushing forth, as if he had an external goal to reach, then a bitter sinking down into himself and weeping. The turning-point between the carnal and spiritual mode of viewing the life. He hastened forth at the call; on the outside, he found the call went inwards and upwards, and he stopped and wept.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. Comp. Matthew.

2. Peter has not extenuated his own fault; for from him, through Mark, we are informed that the first crowing did not suffice to recall him to his duty, but a second was needed.

3. In the three words, êáὶ ἐðéâáëὼí ἔêëáéå , we have given to us the perfect revolution in Peter’s view of the world. As he rushes forth upon the call, as though in his remorse he sought some object exterior to himself, his world-view (his opinion of the world) is still an external one; when he begins to weep, it becomes an inner view. His whole outer world has fallen in ruins; he has no longer an external object of pursuit; he has been thrown back into himself, and comes through his inner self to the Lord, who has now become to him a new Christ in the light of the Spirit. Judas could not attain to this change and revolution: he rushed out—to the associates of his guilt, the chief priests—and they gave him, in his despair, the final blow. In the case of Peter it was: “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned.”

4. The maid mentioned in this passage, and Herodias, are the only examples of female wickedness, or enmity on the part of woman to what was good, recorded in the Gospels.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

See the parallel passages in Matthew.—The true Shepherd betrayed by a faithless disciple at the tribunal of a false world: 1. By the treachery of the false one, He stands is the Faithful One at the Baruch 2. by the false judgment, He passes forth as the Faithful.—The false judgment passed by the world upon the Lord: 1. The false judges, who seek false witness against Him; 2. the false witnesses, who contradict one another; 3. the false judgment, which stamps the true praise of God as blasphemy, and represents blasphemy of God to be the judgment of God; 4. the false servants of God, who abuse and make a mock of the prisoner entrusted to their guardianship.—As the sun bursts through mist and clouds, so breaks Christ triumphantly through all the false obscurations of His honor (by false judges, witnesses, judgments, guards).—So does God’s truth, and work, break through all juggleries, deceits, and time-serving judgments, of sin and lying.—Christ’s true testimony and confession is the only star of salvation in the awful night of human destruction and judgment.—Self-contradiction, the everlasting self-judgment of Satan, of sin, and of Christ’s foes.—Christ the confessor, and Peter the denier (Christ was the divinely faithful friend to men, Judas the betrayer; Christ was He who held His ground, the disciples were the runaways).—The great and marvellous spiritual combat: 1. One strove against all, and yet for all; 2. He suffered as a lamb, yet conquered like a lion; 3. He is overcome, and yet He is the victor.—Contrast the powerful opponents of Christ and the weak opponents of Peter.—The difference between the Christ’s confession, and Peter’s Galilean dialect.—Mark how the chasm which bursts apart between Christ and His disciples unites them for ever: 1. The chasm which opens: Christ, the denied confessor; Peter, the positive denier. 2. Peter, now an actually humbled sinner; Christ, in the fullest sense, now his Saviour and Comforter.—The Lord’s great discourse in His deep silence.—Christ’s sublime silence at the world’s tribunal a prediction of His sublime speaking at the future judgment of the world.

Starke:—Quesnel:—Let the world say what it will, how entirely different are things to the eye of faith, from what they seem to the eye of the world! What is more distinguished than this assembly? There at the same time sanctity, rank, and wisdom appear to collect and unite together; and yet it is nothing but a company of murderers, and a godless assembly (except, indeed, that it possessed a historic right, which was destroyed at Christ’s crucifixion).—He who audaciously flings himself into danger, will soon find that he sinks continually deeper, till finally he cannot free himself.—Canstein:—It is dangerous to be in the company of the wicked.—Alas! how much injustice is found in law-processes and contentions!—Envy.—Nova Bibl. Tub.:—Is it not to be deplored that many strive in behalf of the stones of the temple, and yet pull down and destroy the temple of the living God!—Quesnel:—The greatest truths, when ill-understood, are often considered blasphemies, and furnish occasions for rage and tumult, Heb_12:3.—Keep silent (before the godless world’s accusations).—Reply (to those who exercise authority).—One may mislead many.—As is the shepherd, such are the sheep [said in reference to the high priest. But this is only partially applicable].—When the higher classes condemn Christ, those beneath them mock Him. This is the effect of evil example. Oh! what an account is to be rendered!—Sufferings generally come in troops.—Petrus:—Lies of necessity are not to be excused.—The cock which still crows, when we deny Jesus, is the conscience of each; ah, would that we heard its voice!—Bibl. Wirt.:—God uses every means to bring men to repentance.

Braune:—Death was pronounced upon Christ: in the sight of God, the haters of the divine love had no right so to act; it was merely the seeming appearance of right before the people.—We never hear that these false witnesses were punished.—The first Epistle of Peter shows how changed his views regarding suffering and the cross had become. This change of view dates from his repentance.—Brieger:—His sitting at the right hand of God they were soon to find to be true (the founding of the Church, the Apostles’ acts, the destruction of Jerusalem, etc.)—Jesus, although awaiting condemnation and death, subdued Satan in His people.—This we recognize in the repentance of Peter.—Gossner:—Before Pentecost, the disciples fled from death; after Pentecost, they rejoiced in death.—Bauer:—A fearful assembly.—On Mar_14:72. Alas! how lonely, how isolated, does sin leave us in the world!

Footnotes:

Mar_14:65.—Instead of ἔâáëëïí , A., B., C., Lachmann, Tischendorf read ἔëáâïí , “they took him” (away from the hall of judgment, into custody, i.e.).]

Mar_14:68.—We read, with Cod. A., &c., and the Recepta, ïὐê ïἶäá , ïὐäὲ ἐðßóôáìáé . Certainly ïὔôå , ïὔôå is strongly attested by B., D., L., and is adopted by Tischendorf and Lachmann. We consider, however, this mode of expression too strong to be used in the circumstances. Matthew says, “I know not what thou sayest;” Luke, “I know Him not:” our reading, in what appears the original account, receives support from these two expressions.

Mar_14:68.— Êáὶ ἀëÝêôùñ ἐöþíçóå , wanting in B., L., Coptic, bracketed by Lachmann; probably interpolated from the parallel passage in Matthew.

[The Greek runs: “And the maid (that kept the porch, i.e.), seeing him, again began to say,” &c.]

Mar_14:70.— Êáὶ ἡ ëáëéá óïõ ὁìïéÜæåé , omitted in B., C., D., L., &c., and in the texts of Tischendorf and Lachmann. It is interpolated probably from Matthew.

[Mar_14:72.—Codd. B., D. have åὐèýò ; A., C. have it not. Lachmann retains it; Tischendorf and Recepta reject it.]

Mar_14:72.— Ôὸ ῥῆìá ὡò , A., B., C., L., Ä ., Lachmann, Tischendorf.