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Mark 14

After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

And they all forsook him, and fled.

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:

And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

And there arose certain, and bare false witness 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.

But neither so did their witness agree together.

And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But 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?

And 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.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

And 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.

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

And 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 Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of 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.

What does Mark 14:23 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 14:23 comes from the New Testament of the Christian Bible, and it narrates an event during the Last Supper, a pivotal moment in Christian tradition.

In this verse, Jesus shares a cup of wine with His disciples, which is an integral part of what is now known as the institution of the Lord's Supper or Communion.

After giving thanks, He passes the cup to them, symbolizing the sharing of His impending sacrificial death.

They all drink from it, which signifies their participation in the new covenant and their unity with Him and each other.

The act of drinking from the cup is rich with symbolism, reflecting acceptance, fellowship, and the new relationship between God and humanity that Jesus was establishing through His blood, which is often interpreted as being represented by the wine.

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Historical Context

This verse takes place during the Jewish festival of Passover, when Jews traditionally remember their liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Jesus and His disciples were observing this feast when He instituted a new meaning to the sharing of bread and wine, pointing to His death and resurrection.

The Last Supper was most likely a Passover Seder, a ritual meal that included specific elements such as unleavened bread and four cups of wine, each with its own significance.

In the first-century Jewish context, sharing a meal was a sign of intimacy and fellowship, and the sharing of a cup would have carried strong communal overtones.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse carries significant weight in Christian doctrine. Different denominations interpret the Lord's Supper in various ways. Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation, where the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ.

In contrast, Protestants generally view Communion as a symbolic act of remembrance or a means of receiving grace.

The act of giving thanks, or 'eucharisteo' in Greek, is where the term 'Eucharist' for the Communion service in some Christian traditions originates.

The communal aspect is central to many interpretations, emphasizing the unity of believers within the body of Christ.

Practical Applications

For Christians today, Mark 14:23 is a call to remember and partake in the Lord's Supper with reverence and reflection on the sacrifice of Jesus.

It is also an invitation to experience the unity and community that this sacrament fosters among believers. The act of sharing the cup can serve as a reminder of shared faith and the call to live in fellowship with one another, supporting and caring for each other as members of one body.

Cross-References

Luke 22:20: "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
1 Corinthians 11:25: "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."
Matthew 26:27-28: "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
1 Corinthians 10:16: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"

Language Study

In this verse, the phrase "gave thanks" translates from the Greek word "eucharisteo," which is a compound word derived from "eu," meaning "good," and "charizomai," meaning "to grant or give." The word for "cup" is "poterion," which can refer to a literal drinking vessel or metaphorically to one's lot or experience in life.

"Drank of it" from the Greek "pinō" can mean to literally consume a liquid, but also to take in or accept an experience or fate.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this verse to other ancient religious practices, one can see parallels in communal meals and ritual drink offerings.

For instance, in ancient Greek culture, the symposium was a similar setting where wine was shared among participants, often accompanied by philosophical discussion.

In terms of religious parallels, many ancient religions had ritual meals that signified communion with the gods, a tradition that is transformed in Christianity into communion with Christ.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, sharing a communal cup, as described in this verse, would present an interesting study in the transmission of microbes and communal disease.

Modern hygienic practices often discourage the literal sharing of a single cup due to the risk of spreading illness.

It raises considerations for how the practice of Communion is adapted in light of current understandings of health and hygiene.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries expand on Mark 14:23 in several ways.

Some suggest that this moment signifies the institution of a new covenant, aligning with prophecies from Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Others focus on the eschatological meaning, the "already and not yet" aspect of the kingdom of God that Jesus's death and resurrection inaugurate.

Traditional commentaries emphasize the importance of being in a right relationship with God and others before partaking in the Lord's Supper, as seen in Paul's writings (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

Mark 14

Mark 14

What does Mark 14:23 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 14:23 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?