Discovery BoxMark 13:21--14:31
Context13:21 Then 1 if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ 2 or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe him. 13:22 For false messiahs 3 and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the elect. 13:23 Be careful! I have told you everything ahead of time.
13:24 “But in those days, after that suffering, 4 the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; 13:25 the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 5 13:26 Then everyone 6 will see the Son of Man arriving in the clouds 7 with great power and glory. 13:27 Then he will send angels and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 8
13:28 “Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 13:29 So also you, when you see these things happening, know 9 that he is near, right at the door. 13:30 I tell you the truth, 10 this generation 11 will not pass away until all these things take place. 13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 12
13:32 “But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son 13 – except the Father. 13:33 Watch out! Stay alert! 14 For you do not know when the time will come. 13:34 It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves 15 in charge, assigning 16 to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. 13:35 Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return – whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn – 13:36 or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly. 13:37 What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!”
14:1 Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law 17 were trying to find a way 18 to arrest Jesus 19 by stealth and kill him. 14:2 For they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.” 20
14:3 Now 21 while Jesus 22 was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, 23 a woman came with an alabaster jar 24 of costly aromatic oil 25 from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head. 14:4 But some who were present indignantly said to one another, “Why this waste of expensive 26 ointment? 14:5 It 27 could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins 28 and the money 29 given to the poor!” So 30 they spoke angrily to her. 14:6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me. 14:7 For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me! 31 14:8 She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial. 14:9 I tell you the truth, 32 wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
14:10 Then 33 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands. 34 14:11 When they heard this, they were delighted 35 and promised to give him money. 36 So 37 Judas 38 began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
14:12 Now 39 on the first day of the feast of 40 Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, 41 Jesus’ 42 disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 43 14:13 He sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar 44 of water will meet you. Follow him. 14:14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 14:15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 14:16 So 45 the disciples left, went 46 into the city, and found things just as he had told them, 47 and they prepared the Passover.
14:17 Then, 48 when it was evening, he came to the house 49 with the twelve. 14:18 While they were at the table 50 eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, 51 one of you eating with me will betray me.” 52 14:19 They were distressed, and one by one said to him, “Surely not I?” 14:20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand 53 with me into the bowl. 54 14:21 For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
14:22 While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.” 14:23 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 14:24 He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood 55 of the covenant, 56 that is poured out for many. 14:25 I tell you the truth, 57 I will no longer drink of the fruit 58 of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 14:26 After singing a hymn, 59 they went out to the Mount of Olives.
14:27 Then 60 Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’ 61
14:28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, I will not!” 14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, 62 today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 14:31 But Peter 63 insisted emphatically, 64 “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all of them said the same thing.
[13:21] 1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[13:21] 2 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[13:22] 3 tn Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[13:24] 4 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
[13:25] 5 sn An allusion to Isa 13:10, 34:4 (LXX); Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
[13:26] 7 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.
[13:27] 8 tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[13:29] 9 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginwskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
[13:30] 10 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[13:30] 11 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
[13:31] 12 sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself! For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.
[13:32] 13 sn The phrase nor the Son has caused a great deal of theological debate because on the surface it appears to conflict with the concept of Jesus’ deity. The straightforward meaning of the text is that the Son does not know the time of his return. If Jesus were divine, though, wouldn’t he know this information? There are other passages which similarly indicate that Jesus did not know certain things. For example, Luke 2:52 indicates that Jesus grew in wisdom; this has to mean that Jesus did not know everything all the time but learned as he grew. So Mark 13:32 is not alone in implying that Jesus did not know certain things. The best option for understanding Mark 13:32 and similar passages is to hold the two concepts in tension: The Son in his earthly life and ministry had limited knowledge of certain things, yet he was still deity.
[13:33] 14 tc The vast majority of witnesses (א A C L W Θ Ψ Ë1,13 Ï lat sy co) have καὶ προσεύχεσθε after ἀγρυπνεῖτε (agrupneite kai proseucesqe, “stay alert and pray”). This may be a motivated reading, influenced by the similar command in Mark 14:38 where προσεύχεσθε is solidly attested, and more generally from the parallel in Luke 21:36 (though δέομαι [deomai, “ask”] is used there). As B. M. Metzger notes, it is a predictable variant that scribes would have been likely to produce independently of each other (TCGNT 95). The words are not found in B D 2427 a c {d} k. Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is slender, it probably better accounts for the longer reading than vice versa.
[13:34] 15 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
[14:1] 17 tn Or “the chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[14:1] 18 tn Grk “were seeking how.”
[14:1] 19 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:2] 20 sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.
[14:3] 21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:3] 22 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:3] 23 sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[14:3] 24 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
[14:3] 25 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The adjective πιστικῆς (pistikh") is difficult with regard to its exact meaning; some have taken it to derive from πίστις (pistis) and relate to the purity of the oil of nard. More probably it is something like a brand name, “pistic nard,” the exact significance of which has not been discovered.
[14:4] 26 tn The word “expensive” is not in the Greek text but has been included to suggest a connection to the lengthy phrase “costly aromatic oil from pure nard” occurring earlier in v. 3. The author of Mark shortened this long phrase to just one word in Greek when repeated here, and the phrase “expensive ointment” used in the translation is intended as an abbreviated paraphrase.
[14:5] 27 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[14:5] 28 tn Grk “three hundred denarii.” One denarius was the standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking in to account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).
[14:5] 29 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
[14:5] 30 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[14:7] 31 tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
[14:9] 32 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:10] 33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:10] 34 tn Grk “betray him to them”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:11] 35 sn The leaders were delighted when Judas contacted them about betraying Jesus, because it gave them the opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed by one of his own disciples.
[14:11] 36 sn Matt 26:15 states the amount of money they gave Judas was thirty pieces of silver (see also Matt 27:3-4; Zech 11:12-13).
[14:11] 37 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[14:11] 38 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:12] 40 tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.
[14:12] 41 sn Generally the feast of Unleavened Bread would refer to Nisan 15 (Friday), but the following reference to the sacrifice of the Passover lamb indicates that Nisan 14 (Thursday) was what Mark had in mind (Nisan = March 27 to April 25). The celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted eight days, beginning with the Passover meal. The celebrations were so close together that at times the names of both were used interchangeably.
[14:12] 42 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 43 sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 14:18). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.
[14:13] 44 sn Since women usually carried these jars, it would have been no problem for the two disciples (Luke 22:8 states that they were Peter and John) to recognize the man Jesus was referring to.
[14:16] 45 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the flow within the narrative.
[14:16] 47 sn The author’s note that the disciples found things just as he had told them shows that Jesus’ word could be trusted.
[14:17] 48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:17] 49 tn The prepositional phrase “to the house” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.
[14:18] 50 tn Grk “while they were reclined at the table.”
[14:18] 51 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:18] 52 tn Or “will hand me over”; Grk “one of you will betray me, the one who eats with me.”
[14:20] 53 tn Grk “one who dips with me.” The phrase “his hand” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:20] 54 sn One who dips with me in the bowl. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.
[14:24] 55 tn Grk “this is my blood of the covenant that is poured out for many.” In order to avoid confusion about which is poured out, the translation supplies “blood” twice so that the following phrase clearly modifies “blood,” not “covenant.”
[14:24] 56 tc Most
[14:25] 57 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:25] 58 tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
[14:26] 59 sn After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.
[14:27] 60 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:27] 61 sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.
[14:30] 62 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:31] 63 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
