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Mark 14:43

in Mark 14

While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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.

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This verse in Mark 14

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
Let us notice in these verses, how little our Lord's enemies understood the nature of His kingdom . We read that Judas came to take Him "with a great multitude, with swords and clubs." It was evidently expected that our Lord would be vigorously defended by His disciples, and that He would not be taken prisoner without fighting. The chief priests and scribes clung obstinately to the idea, that our Lord's kingdom was a worldly kingdom, and therefore supposed that it would be upheld by worldly means.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW 85.2 · Written before 407.

proposed

Consider what befell him, how he simultaneously lost the money, committed the sin, and destroyed his own soul. Such is the tyranny of covetousness. He did not even enjoy the money in this life nor did he have any benefits in the life to come. He lost everything at once and, branded as a bad character even by his co-conspirators, hanged himself.

The Medieval Church4 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

proposed

Not without reason was it added: "one of the twelve," but in condemnation of the betrayer, because he, being in the first rank of the apostles, plotted against his own Master.

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

proposed

(ubi sup.) After that our Lord had prayed three times, and had obtained by His prayers that the fear of the Apostles should be amended by future repentance, He, being tranquil as to His Passion, goes to His persecutors, concerning the coming of whom the Evangelist says, And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve.
For he who despairs of help from God, has recourse to the power of the world.

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1107.

proposed

This is not put without reason, but to the greater conviction of the traitor, since though he was of the chief company amongst the disciples, he turned himself to furious enmity against our Lord. And with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the elders.
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And immediately, while he yet spake,.... The above words: cometh Judas one of the twelve: apostles of Christ, and which was an aggravation of his wickedness; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic, versions add, "Iscariot"; and so it is read in one of Beza's copies.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Let us notice in these verses, how little our Lord's enemies understood the nature of His kingdom . We read that Judas came to take Him "with a great multitude, with swords and clubs." It was evidently expected that our Lord would be vigorously defended by His disciples, and that He would not be taken prisoner without fighting. The chief priests and scribes clung obstinately to the idea, that our Lord's kingdom was a worldly kingdom, and therefore supposed that it would be upheld by worldly means. They had yet to learn the solemn lesson contained in our Lord's words to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36.) We shall do well to remember this in all our endeavors to extend the kingdom of true religion. It is not to be propagated by violence, or by an arm of flesh. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." (2 Cor. 10:4. Zech. 4:6.) The cause of truth does not need force to maintain it. False religions, like Mohammedanism, have often been spread by the sword. False Christianity, like that of the Roman Church, has often been enforced on men by bloody persecutions. But the real Gospel of Christ requires no such aids as these. It stands by the power of the Holy Spirit. It grows by the hidden influence of the Holy Spirit on men's hearts and consciences. There is no clearer sign of a bad cause in religion than a readiness to appeal to the sword. Let us notice, secondly, in these verses, how all things in our Lord's passion happened according to God's Word . His own address to those who took Him, exhibits this in a striking manner — "the Scripture must be fulfilled." There was no accident or chance in any part of the close of our Lord's earthly ministry. The steps in which He walked from Gethsemane to Calvary were all marked out hundreds of years before.
See the notes at Mat 26:47-57. Mar 14:45 Master, Master - As if expressing great joy that he had found him again. Mar 14:51 A certain young man - Who this was we have no means of determining, but it seems not improbable that he may have been the owner of the garden, and that he may have had an understanding with Jesus that he should visit it for retirement when he withdrew from the city. That he was not one of the apostles is clear.

The words behind it

27 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 22:47–53While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.5 worksJohn 18:3–11So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.5 worksActs 1:16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.5 worksMatthew 26:47–56While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.4 worksMatthew 10:4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.4 worksPsalms 2:1–2Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?3 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Psalms 22:11–13Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.3 worksPsalms 3:1–2O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!2 worksMark 14:20He answered, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping his hand into the bowl with Me.2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 1:16

    “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 41:9

      Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

    • John 13:18

      I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’

    • Psalms 55:12–15

      For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.

    • Acts 1:20

      “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’

    • John 12:38–40

      This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

The Judas Kiss — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
The Judas Kiss — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 14 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW 85.2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.

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