Mark 14:43-52

Betrayal and Arrest

14:43 Right away, while Jesus ¹  was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. ²  With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law ³  and elders. 14:44 (Now the betrayer ⁴  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”) ⁵  14:45 When Judas ⁶  arrived, he went up to Jesus ⁷  immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed ⁸  him. 14:46 Then they took hold of him ⁹  and arrested him. 14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, ¹⁰  cutting off his ear. 14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? ¹¹  14:49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet ¹²  you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that ¹³  the scriptures would be fulfilled.” 14:50 Then ¹⁴  all the disciples ¹⁵  left him and fled. 14:51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him, 14:52 but he ran off naked, ¹⁶  leaving his linen cloth behind.

[14:43]  ¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:43]  ² tn Or “approached.” This is a different verb than the one translated “arrived” in Matt 26:47 and below in v. 45, although in this context the meanings probably overlap.

[14:43]  ³ tn Or “from the chief priests, scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:44]  ⁴ tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[14:44]  ⁵ sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[14:45]  ⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ⁸ sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[14:46]  ⁹ tn Grk “put their hands on him.”

[14:47]  ¹⁰ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.

[14:48]  ¹¹ tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist,” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).

[14:49]  ¹² tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) is elastic enough to be used contrastively on occasion, as here.

[14:49]  ¹³ tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.

[14:50]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:50]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referent (Jesus’ disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:52]  ¹⁶ sn The statement he ran off naked is probably a reference to Mark himself, traditionally assumed to be the author of this Gospel. Why he was wearing only an outer garment and not the customary tunic as well is not mentioned. W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 527-28, says that Mark probably mentioned this episode so as to make it clear that “all fled, leaving Jesus alone in the custody of the police.”