The Meaning of Mark 14:44 Explained

Mark 14:44

KJV: 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.

YLT: and he who is delivering him up had given a token to them, saying, 'Whomsoever I shall kiss, he it is, lay hold on him, and lead him away safely,'

Darby: Now he that delivered him up had given them a sign between them, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; seize him, and lead him away safely.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Mark 14:44 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 14:32-52 - Alone In The Hour Of Trial
When the soul is overwhelmed, it seeks to be alone, and yet not too far from human sympathy and help. The three most trusted might enter the enclosure, but even they could not share the depth of the Master's anguish, which was so great as to threaten His very life. He cried to Him who could save Him from dying before His trial and sentence, and was saved from what He feared. Our Lord did not shrink from physical suffering, but from the horror of becoming sin-bearer for the race, and putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. His disciples failed Him, but as He submitted to the Father's will His spirit rose triumphant. Sleep on now-the past is irrevocable. The disciples fled as fast as their feet would carry them. If only they had prayed, they would have been steadfast and unmovable. There are good reasons for supposing that the young man mentioned here was Mark himself. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 14

1  A conspiracy against Jesus
3  Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman
10  Judas sells his Master for money
12  Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples;
22  after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper;
26  declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial
43  Judas betrays him with a kiss
46  Jesus is apprehended in the garden;
53  falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council;
65  shamefully abused by them;
66  and thrice denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Mark 14:44

Token [συσσημον]
A common word in the ancient Greek for a concerted signal according to agreement. It is here only in the New Testament. Matthew 26:48 has σημειον — sēmeion sign. The signal was the kiss by Judas, a contemptible desecration of a friendly salutation. [source]
And lead him away safely [και απαγετε ασπαλως]
Only in Mark. Judas wished no slip to occur. Mark and Matthew do not tell of the falling back upon the ground when Jesus challenged the crowd with Judas. It is given by John alone (John 18:4-9). [source]
Token [σύσσημον]
A later Greek compound used only by Mark in this passage. Compare σημεῖον , Matthew 26:48. The σύν , with, gives the force of a mutual token: a concerted signal. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 14:44

Matthew 26:48 Gave them a sign [εδωκεν αυτοις σημειον]
Probably just before he reached the place, though Mark (Mark 14:44) has “had given” This same compound verb occurs in Luke 7:38 of the sinful woman, in Luke 15:20 of the Father‘s embrace of the Prodigal Son, and in Acts 20:37 of the Ephesian elders and Paul. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 14:44 mean?

Had given then the [one] delivering up Him a sign to them saying Whomever - I shall kiss He is seize and lead [Him] away securely
Δεδώκει δὲ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν σύσσημον αὐτοῖς λέγων Ὃν ἂν φιλήσω αὐτός ἐστιν κρατήσατε καὶ ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς

Δεδώκει  Had  given 
Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
παραδιδοὺς  delivering  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
σύσσημον  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: σύσσημον  
Sense: a common sign or concerted signal.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
λέγων  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ὃν  Whomever 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
φιλήσω  I  shall  kiss 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: φιλέω  
Sense: to love.
κρατήσατε  seize 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: κρατέω  
Sense: to have power, be powerful.
ἀπάγετε  lead  [Him]  away 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀπάγω  
Sense: to lead away.
ἀσφαλῶς  securely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἀσφαλῶς  
Sense: safety (so as to prevent escape), assuredly.