Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Mark
Book: Mark
Chapter: 14
Overview:
Christ anointed at
Bethany.
(1-11) The
Passover,
Jesus
declares that
Judas would betray him.
(12-21) The
Lord's
Supper
instituted.
(22-31) Christ's
Agony in the garden.
(32-42) He is
betrayed and taken.
(43-52) Christ before the high
Priest.
(53-65) Peter denies
Christ.
(66-72)
1-11 Did
Christ pour out his soul unto
Death for us, and shall
we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the
precious
Ointment of our best affections? Let us
Love him with
all the
Heart, though it is common for zeal and
Affection to be
misunderstood and blamed; and remember that
Charity to the
Poor
will not excuse any from particular
Acts of
Piety to the
Lord
Jesus.
Christ commended this
Woman's pious attention to the
notice of believers in all ages. Those who honour
Christ he will
honour.
Covetousness was
Judas' master
Lust, and that betrayed
him to the
Sin of betraying his Master; the
Devil suited his
Temptation to that, and
So conquered him. And see what wicked
contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits; but what
appears to forward their plans, will prove curses in the
End.
12-21 Nothing could be less the result of human foresight than
the events here related. But our
Lord knows all things about us
before they come to pass. If we admit him, he will
Dwell in our
hearts. The
Son of Man goes, as it is written of him, as a
Lamb
to the slaughter; but woe to that
Man By whom he is betrayed!
God's permitting the sins of men, and bringing
Glory to himself
out of them, does not oblige them to
Sin; nor will this be any
excuse for their guilt, or lessen their
Punishment.
22-31 The
Lord's
Supper is
Food for the soul, therefore a very
little of that which is for the body, as much as will serve for
a sign, is enough. It was instituted
By the
Example and the
practice of our Master, to remain in force till his second
coming. It was instituted with blessing and giving of thanks, to
be a memorial of
Christ's
Death. Frequent mention is made of his
precious
Blood, as the price of our
Redemption. How comfortable
is this to
Poor repenting sinners, that the
Blood of
Christ is
shed for many! If for many, why not for me? It was a sign of the
conveyance of the benefits purchased for us
By his
Death. Apply
the doctrine of
Christ crucified to yourselves; let it be meat
and
Drink to your souls, strengthening and refreshing your
spiritual
Life. It was to be an
Earnest and foretaste of the
happiness of
Heaven, and thereby to
Put us out of taste for the
pleasures and delights of sense. Every one that has tasted
spiritual delights, straightway desires eternal ones. Though the
great
Shepherd passed through his sufferings without one false
step, yet his followers often have been scattered
By the small
Measure of sufferings allotted to them. How very apt we are to
think
Well of ourselves, and to trust our own hearts! It was ill
done of
Peter thus to answer his Master, and not with fear and
trembling.
Lord, give me
Grace to keep me from denying thee.
32-42 Christ's sufferings began with the sorest of all, those
in his soul. He began to be sorely amazed; words not used in St.
Matthew, but very full of meaning. The terrors of
God set
themselves in array against him, and he allowed him to
contemplate them. Never was sorrow like unto his at this time.
Now he was made a
Curse for us; the curses of the
Law were laid
upon him as our
Surety. He now tasted
Death, in all the
bitterness of it. This was that fear of which the
Apostle
speaks, the natural fear of pain and
Death, at which human
nature startles. Can we ever
Entertain favourable, or even
slight thoughts of
Sin, when we see the painful sufferings which
Sin, though but reckoned to him, brought
On the
Lord Jesus?
Shall that sit
Light upon our souls, which sat
So heavy upon
his? Was
Christ in such
Agony for our sins, and shall we never
be in
Agony about them? How should we look upon Him whom we have
pierced, and
Mourn! It becomes us to be exceedingly sorrowful
for
Sin, because He was
So, and never to mock at it.
Christ, as
Man, pleaded, that, if it were possible, his sufferings might
pass from him. As
Mediator, he submitted to the will of
God,
saying, Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt; I bid
it welcome. See how the sinful weakness of
Christ's disciples
returns, and overpowers them. What heavy clogs these bodies of
ours are to our souls! But when we see trouble at the door, we
should get ready for it. Alas, even believers often look at the
Redeemer's sufferings in a drowsy manner, and instead of being
ready to die with
Christ, they are not even prepared to watch
with him one
Hour.
43-52 Because
Christ appeared not as a temporal
Prince, but
preached
Repentance, reformation, and a holy
Life, and directed
men's thoughts, and affections, and aims to another world,
therefore the Jewish rulers sought to destroy him.
Peter wounded
one of the band. It is easier to fight for
Christ than to die
for him. But there is a great difference between faulty
disciples and hypocrites. The latter rashly and without thought
Call Christ Master, and express great
Affection for him, yet
betray him to his enemies. Thus they hasten their own
Destruction.
53-65 We have here
Christ's condemnation before the great
Council of the Jews.
Peter followed; but the high
Priest's
Fire-side was
No proper place, nor his servants proper company,
for
Peter: it was an entrance into
Temptation. Great diligence
was used to procure false witnesses against
Jesus, yet their
Testimony was not equal to the charge of a capital crime,
By the
utmost stretch of their
Law. He was asked, Art thou the Son of
the Blessed? that is, the
Son of God. For the proof of his being
the
Son of God, he refers to his second coming. In these
outrages we have proofs of
Man's
Enmity to
God, and of
God's
free and unspeakable
Love to
Man.
66-72 Peter's denying
Christ began
By keeping at a distance
from him. Those that are shy of
Godliness, are far in the way to
deny
Christ. Those who think it dangerous to be in company with
Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to
suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in
company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to
Sin against him. When
Christ was admired and flocked after,
Peter readily owned him; but will own
No relation to him now he
is deserted and despised. Yet observe,
Peter's
Repentance was
very speedy. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall; and let him that has fallen think of these things, and of
his own offences, and return to the
Lord with weeping and
supplication, seeking forgiveness, and to be raised up
By the
Holy
Spirit.