A commission of the chief priests awaited the result of the treachery of Judas at the house of Caiaphas. They had made up their minds what to do, but the form of a trial was necessary. The false witnesses were obviously unable to establish a sufficient case, and our Lord maintained a dignified silence. It was too much for Caiaphas, and he put his prisoner on his oath. Our Lord made no attempt to parry the issue or turn aside from the challenge, but replied: I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. See Psalms 110:1; Daniel 7:13. Then followed a shameful scene, Mark 14:65. But our Lord was as self-restrained in the use of His mighty powers as if He had been one of the most helpless of men. The graphic story of the denial, which took place at the time of the trial in the servants' hall, was probably given to the evangelist by Peter himself. What a contrast between the strength of the Master and the weakness of the disciple! Yet Peter was forgiven and made the Apostle of the Pentecost! We may have hope! [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 14
1A conspiracy against Jesus 3Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman 10Judas sells his Master for money 12Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples; 22after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper; 26declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial 43Judas betrays him with a kiss 46Jesus is apprehended in the garden; 53falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council; 65shamefully abused by them; 66and thrice denied by Peter
Greek Commentary for Mark 14:57
Bare false witness [επσευδομαρτυρουν] In desperation some attempted once more (conative imperfect). [source]
Mark 14:58Made with hands [χειροποιητον] In Mark alone. An old Greek word. The negative form αχειροποιητον acheiropoiēton here occurs elsewhere only in 2 Corinthians 5:1; Colossians 2:11. In Hebrews 9:11 the negative ου ou is used with the positive form. It is possible that a real λογιον logion of Jesus underlies the perversion of it here. Mark and Matthew do not quote the witnesses precisely alike. Perhaps they quoted Jesus differently and therein is shown part of the disagreement, for Mark adds Mark 14:59 (not in Matthew). “And not even so did their witness agree together,” repeating the point of Mark 14:57. Swete observes that Jesus, as a matter of fact, did do what he is quoted as saying in Mark: “He said what the event has proved to be true; His death destroyed the old order, and His resurrection created the new.” But these witnesses did not mean that by what they said. The only saying of Jesus at all like this preserved to us is that in John 2:19, when he referred not to the temple in Jerusalem, but to the temple of his body, though no one understood it at the time. [source]
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ψευδομαρτυρέω
Sense: to utter falsehoods in giving testimony, to testify falsely, to bear false witness.
Greek Commentary for Mark 14:57
In desperation some attempted once more (conative imperfect). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 14:57
Rev., stand up. Come forward as witnesses. Compare Mark 14:57. There is no reference to rising from the dead. Similarlyshall rise up, Matthew 12:42. Compare Matthew 11:11; Matthew 24:11. [source]
In Mark alone. An old Greek word. The negative form αχειροποιητον acheiropoiēton here occurs elsewhere only in 2 Corinthians 5:1; Colossians 2:11. In Hebrews 9:11 the negative ου ou is used with the positive form. It is possible that a real λογιον logion of Jesus underlies the perversion of it here. Mark and Matthew do not quote the witnesses precisely alike. Perhaps they quoted Jesus differently and therein is shown part of the disagreement, for Mark adds Mark 14:59 (not in Matthew). “And not even so did their witness agree together,” repeating the point of Mark 14:57. Swete observes that Jesus, as a matter of fact, did do what he is quoted as saying in Mark: “He said what the event has proved to be true; His death destroyed the old order, and His resurrection created the new.” But these witnesses did not mean that by what they said. The only saying of Jesus at all like this preserved to us is that in John 2:19, when he referred not to the temple in Jerusalem, but to the temple of his body, though no one understood it at the time. [source]