Mark 14:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

NIV: Am I leading a rebellion,' said Jesus, 'that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?

NASB: And Jesus said to them, 'Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a man inciting a revolt?

CSB: Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal, to capture me?

NLT: Jesus asked them, 'Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?

KJV: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

NKJV: Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?

Jesus has been in the area of Jerusalem for about a week. During the day, He has been on the Temple Mount, teaching and debating against the Jewish religious and civil leaders. At night, He and the disciples slept on the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37–38). During His time at the temple, He humiliated the Jewish leadership. He condemned how they made the temple a marketplace (Mark 11:15–19). He exposed their hypocrisy regarding John the Baptist (Mark 11:27–33). He made a thinly-veiled threat against their authority (Mark 12:1–12). And He put their trivial denominational squabbles into perspective (Mark 12:13–27). Jesus then went on an extended condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees, the lawyers and teachers who claimed to be experts in the law but only used that knowledge to subjugate the people and raise their own prominence (Matthew 23:1–36).

If the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and elders had truly believed their theology was correct and Jesus was blaspheming God, they should have had the courage to make a public display of Him, arrest Him while He taught at the temple, and show the people how He was wrong. Instead, they fear the people, thinking that if they arrest Jesus in daylight, surrounded by the crowds, the people will rebel and expose their primary fear: that the Romans will attack Jerusalem and destroy Israel as a people. As their Israelite forefathers did, they value peace and prosperity more than they value the God who promises them peace and prosperity if only they obey.

Even awash in chaos, Jesus makes His point. They treat Him like a robber, and they will crucify Him as they would a robber. As Jesus hangs on the cross, He will be flanked by two robbers (Mark 15:27). Despite all appearances, Jesus is in complete control.

Mark 14:43–50 happens about one week after Jesus rode past the garden of Gethsemane in the daylight, surrounded by people declaring His coming to reestablish David's kingdom (Mark 11:1–10). For several days, He displayed His superior understanding of God over the Jewish religious leaders (Mark 11:27–12:40). Earlier this night, He spent a meaningful Passover meal with His disciples (Mark 14:17–31). Now, He is back in Gethsemane. It is the dead of night and a group has come to take Him before a series of sham trials before He is crucified. The story of Jesus' betrayal is also recorded in Matthew 26:47–56, Luke 22:47–53, and John 18:1–11.

Jesus is anointed in a symbolic anticipation of His death. Judas decides to secretly cooperate with local religious leaders to arrest Jesus in secret. During the Passover meal, Jesus predicts His betrayal by Judas, and Peter's denial. He also institutes the Lord's Supper, also known as communion. After praying on the Mount of Olives, Jesus is captured when Judas identifies Him to a hostile mob sent by Jewish authorities. He endures a corrupt, prejudiced trial, ending in a conviction for blasphemy. Peter, fearing for his life, lies about knowing Jesus, before remembering Jesus' prediction and breaking down in sobs.

Jesus has finished His public teaching ministry and now prepares for the crucifixion. His sacrificial loyalty will provide the means by which the disciples' abandonment will be forgiven. Next, the Romans, as representatives of Gentiles throughout history, will join the Jews and kill Jesus. Jesus will be buried, but He will rise again with the promise that His sacrifice will redeem the world. Matthew 26 and Luke 22 follow Mark 14 more closely while John 13:1—18:27 records more of Jesus' teaching in the upper room.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.