NOTES for Mar 14:1-31
1 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. |
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. |
3 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. |
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? |
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. |
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. |
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. |
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. |
9 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. |
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. |
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. |
12 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? |
13 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. |
14 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? |
15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. |
16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. |
17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. |
18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. |
19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? |
20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. |
21 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. |
22 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. |
23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. |
24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. |
25 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. |
26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. |
27 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. |
28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. |
29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. |
30 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. |
31 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. |
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The matter is moving toward its resolution. The true traits of the characters and their real desires appear more and more clearly. The scribes and Pharisees no longer argue. They have lost every argument. And this did not convince them, did not stop them, did not make them doubt. "Brood of vipers," as John called them. They argued with the Truth for a long time; now all that remains is to kill it. At last they have openly understood their real desire: "to take Him by stealth and kill Him." They had done this in their hearts long ago. They are concerned only that the people not think anything bad of them.
The woman, however, "who was known in the city as a sinner," could have feared anger and condemnation. It is impossible for her to hide her vices. Yet she is the one who brings the precious ointment. The impulse of her heart draws her irresistibly to Jesus. In it everything is expressed: love, gratitude, repentance. She does not think about what people will say about her.
Judas finally goes to carry out his betrayal. He too has made his decision.
What else can Jesus still manage to do for us, for His disciples, for people? What could He do at all? Give Himself. Remain with us. The Paschal Meal with the disciples continues to this day. Jesus comes to us, as He promised, in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The covenant with God, the New Covenant, is renewed at every Liturgy. The Bread and Wine, transformed by His Spirit, nourish and satisfy each one: "...and they all drank of it." He remains faithful to the end and forever. And our heart rejoices after Communion, as did the disciples: they "sang a hymn."
At the same time, however, another theme runs through the passage: the theme of betrayal. Judas betrays. Peter will deny Him. The disciples are distressed and doubt themselves: "Is it I?" They do not know what is in their heart. They would like to "die with Him," but it turns out they cannot. They still cannot decide. And we?
And why does this keep happening to us? Everything has been given to us: wisdom, truth, love, life. Yet we doubt, deny, and often betray. Is it possible to remain faithful to the end? What is our decision? What is in our heart?
Readings for 28 May 2025
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