Mark 14:43 - Meaning and Application

Here we see our Lord Jesus seized by the officers of the chief priests. His enemies had long wanted this. They had often sent men to arrest him, but he had escaped from their hands because his hour had not yet come. In truth, they could not have taken him now unless he had freely given himself up. He first began to suffer in his soul, and then in his body, because sin starts in the heart and later uses the body as an instrument for evil.

A rough crowd was used to take Jesus and make him a prisoner, a large group with swords and clubs. There is no evil so dark that there will not be willing tools among human beings to carry it out. Human nature is deeply corrupted. At the front of this mob was Judas, one of the twelve, one of those who had spent years closely with Jesus. He had preached in Jesus' name and cast out demons in his name, and yet he betrayed him. It is nothing new for a fair and impressive profession to end in a shameful and deadly falling away.

Men of high rank, the chief priests, scribes, and elders, sent them out and set them to work. These were the very people who claimed to expect the Messiah and be ready to welcome him. Yet when he came and gave clear proof that he was the promised one, they turned against him. He did not flatter their pride or support their outward show and wealth. He came as a spiritual King, preached repentance, reform, and holy living, and turned people’s hearts and aims toward the life to come. Because of this, they opposed him and decided to crush him without giving his claims a fair hearing.

Judas betrayed him with a kiss, using the freedom Jesus had allowed his disciples, who would kiss his cheek when they returned after being away. Judas called him, “Master, Master,” and kissed him. He said, “Rabbi, Rabbi,” as if he were being more respectful than ever. This should make us wary of craving human praise, since even this greeting was used when Christ was betrayed (Matthew 23:7).

Judas told the crowd to take Jesus and lead him away safely. Some think he said this with sarcasm, knowing they could not hold Jesus unless he allowed it. Like Samson, Jesus could break their bonds as if they were weak cords. If so, Judas expected to get the money, Christ would still gain honor, and no harm would be done. But since Satan had entered Judas, we should not think any wicked intent was too terrible for him. Besides, Judas had often heard Jesus say he would be betrayed and crucified, so he had no reason to expect anything else.

They arrested Jesus and made him their prisoner. They laid hands on him, rough and violent hands, and took him into custody. They likely felt they had finally done what had been tried and failed before.

Peter, for the moment, acted boldly in defense of his Master and wounded one of the attackers. He had remembered his promise to go with Jesus even to death. He was one of those standing with him, one of the three disciples in the garden. He drew a sword and likely aimed for the man’s head, but missed and only cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant (Mark 14:47). It is easier to fight for Christ than to die for him. Yet Christ’s true soldiers win, not by taking other people’s lives, but by giving up their own (Revelation 12:11).

Christ then spoke to those who had seized him and showed how unreasonable their actions were. They came against him as if he were a thief, even though he had done nothing wrong. He taught daily in the temple, and if he had any evil plan, it would surely have come to light there at some point. These officers of the chief priests, who likely heard his teaching in the temple, could testify that he taught excellent doctrine. Even his enemies had no fair reason to accuse him. Why then did they come against him as if he were a criminal?

He also pointed out that they came to arrest him in secret, though he was not ashamed or afraid to appear openly in the temple. He was not one of those evil people who hate the light and avoid it (John 3:20). If their leaders had anything against him, they could have met him any day in the temple, where he was ready to answer every challenge and every accusation. There, in fact, they had the authority and the guards to act if they pleased. But to come upon him at midnight, in the place where he had withdrawn to rest, was cowardly and dishonorable, like an enemy hiding in secret places to kill the innocent (Psalm 10:8).

They also came with swords and clubs, as if he were leading an armed rebellion and needed a force sent to bring him down. Those weapons were unnecessary. They used them for two reasons. First, they armed themselves because they feared the people, and they were in great fear where there was no real danger (Psalm 53:5). Second, they wanted to stir up others against him. By coming with weapons to arrest him, they made him look like a dangerous troublemaker, hoping to turn the crowd against him and push them to cry, “Crucify him, crucify him.”

Christ submitted to all this wrongful and disgraceful treatment by resting in the Old Testament promises about the Messiah. He was treated harshly, but he accepted it, because the Scriptures had to be fulfilled (Mark 14:49). This shows how much Christ valued the Scriptures. He would endure anything rather than let the smallest part of God’s word fail. He had the same regard for them in his suffering that he has in his glory, for what is Christ doing in ruling the world except fulfilling the Scriptures? It also shows us how to read the Old Testament. We must search for Christ there, the true treasure hidden in that field. The New Testament history explains the Old Testament prophecies, and the Old Testament prophecies shed light on the New Testament history.

At this, all of Christ’s disciples left him and fled (Mark 14:50). They had been very sure they would stand by him, but even good people do not know what they will do until they are tested.

If it had been such a comfort to Jesus, as he had recently said, that the disciples had stayed with him in his lesser trials (Luke 22:28), we can understand how deeply it grieved him that they left him now in the greatest one. They might have helped him then, when he was being mistreated, by protecting him, and when he was being accused, by speaking for him. Let those who suffer for Christ not think it strange if they are left alone in this way, as all the herd runs from the wounded deer. They are no better than their Master, and they cannot expect to be treated better, either by enemies or by friends. When Paul was in danger, no one stood with him, but everyone deserted him (2 Timothy 4:16).

The noise also stirred up the neighborhood, and some people nearby were put in danger by the disorder (Mark 14:51, Mark 14:52). We do not find this part of the story in any of the other Gospel writers. It tells us about a certain young man, who, as it seems, was not a disciple of Christ. He was also not, as some have thought, a servant in the house where Jesus had eaten the Passover. It seems more likely that he followed Jesus to see what would happen to him, much like the sons of the prophets went to look on from a distance when they knew Elijah was about to be taken up (2 Kings 2:7). He was probably a young man who lived near the garden, perhaps in the house that belonged to it.

Notice first how he was frightened out of bed so that he could watch Christ suffer. Such a large crowd, so well armed, coming with such fury, in the dead of night, and in a quiet village, would naturally cause a great stir. This likely alarmed the young man. He may have thought there was a riot or uprising in the city, or some commotion among the people. Curiosity led him to go and see what was happening, and he was in such a hurry to find out that he did not stop to dress. Instead, he wrapped a sheet around himself, as if he were dressed in grave clothes, and ran into the middle of the crowd, asking, “What is happening here?” When he was told, he wanted to see the outcome. He had surely heard much about Jesus, and now, when all the disciples had left him, he kept following, eager to hear what Jesus would say and see what he would do.

Some think that his wearing only a linen cloth over his bare body means he belonged to one of those Jews who made a great show of piety to their neighbors. They say such people used only one linen garment as part of their strictness and self-denial, though it would have been thin and cold. But I do not think this was his usual clothing.

Notice also how he was frightened back into bed when he was in danger of sharing Christ’s sufferings. His own disciples had fled from Jesus, but this young man, having no special concern for him, may have thought he was safe enough just following along. He was not only unarmed, but barely clothed. Yet the young men, the Roman soldiers called in to help, seized him, since they grabbed whatever was within reach. Perhaps they were angry with themselves that they had let the disciples escape, and since those men were already out of reach, they decided to seize the first person they could. Even if this young man was one of the strictest members of the Jewish religion, the Roman soldiers felt no duty of conscience about mistreating him.

When he saw the danger, he left the linen cloth in their hands and fled away naked. This detail shows what a brutal group had been sent to seize Christ, and how narrowly the disciples escaped falling into their hands. Nothing but their Master’s care for them could have protected them, when he said, “If you are looking for me, let these men go” (John 18:8). It also shows that those who follow Christ only out of curiosity, and not out of faith and conscience, have no firm hold on him.