Mark 14:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nevertheless, Christ Himself had determined for Himself the day of His Passion; for He wished to be crucified on the Passover, because He was the true Passover.

Let us now sprinkle our book, and our thresholds with blood, and put the scarlet thread around the house of our prayers, and bind scarlet on our hand, as was done to Zarah, (Gen. 38:30) that we may be able to say that the red heifer is slain in the valley. (Num. 19:2, Deut. 21:4) For the Evangelist, being about to speak of the slaying of Christ, premises, After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread.

The difference according to the Old Testament between the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread was, that the day alone on which the lamb was slain in the evening, that is, the fourteenth moon of the first month, was called Passover. But on the fifteenth moon, when they came out of Egypt, the feast of unleavened bread came on, which solemn time was appointed for seven days, that is, up to the twenty-first day of the same month in the evening. But the Evangelists indifferently use the day of unleavened bread for the Passover, and the Passover for the days of unleavened bread.

It has been observed that among earthly rulers, a decision was made to postpone the execution of the Galilean Prophet until after the Passover celebration; however, in the heavenly realm, a decree from the Most High had already been established. The Lamb of God, who removes the sins of humanity, was destined to be offered at the same time as the Passover lamb, which had represented Him for countless generations (1 Cor. 5:7). No earthly authority or wicked intent could postpone this sacred sacrifice or separate the One who was being formed from the One who was to be formed. In fact, Divine Providence orchestrated events so that those who had rejected His eternal decrees, perhaps unknowingly, found themselves compelled to fulfill them.

Now the Sanhedrin convened to devise a method for executing their plan to put Jesus to death. They decided, first, to proceed with treachery; second, to ensure that His execution would not take place during the Passover celebration. Why did they choose this course of action against Jesus? To avoid inciting the populace who held Him in high regard (Luke 22:2). A clear conscience has nothing to fear, but the wicked flee even when no one is pursuing them (Psalm 13:5; cf. Proverbs 28:1). The Sanhedrin was apprehensive of the people’s reverence for Jesus, even though their fear was ultimately unfounded. A clean conscience engages openly; it exercises wise caution but does not shy away from people out of fear and does not resort to deceitful schemes.

According to Hebrews, Jesus Christ concluded His prophetic message regarding the final days of Jerusalem and the world with a foretelling of His impending sufferings during the upcoming Passover, which was to take place two days later. As He delivered these prophetic words on Tuesday evening (cf. Luke 21:37-38), He shared this revelation of His sufferings with His disciples that same evening. The assembly of the Sanhedrin could not have occurred until the following morning, which was Wednesday. However, since Tuesday evening, based on the timekeeping of that period, had already transitioned into Wednesday, it is noted that "then the chief priests were assembled," and so forth.

They understood that although the populace may not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, they held Him in high regard as a remarkable prophet and a miracle worker like no other. Thus, it would be extremely unwise and perilous to arrest and execute Him while Jerusalem was filled with those gathered for the Passover celebration. The people might rise up on His behalf; even the slightest provocation from His followers could incite a riot, which the Roman legions would swiftly suppress, leading to the very calamities that the Sanhedrin feared. The Jewish leaders deliberated on this matter and resolved to capture Jesus through deception and put Him to death, but only after the Passover feast concluded, when the multitudes from various lands would have dispersed.

While the righteous rested, the wicked schemed malevolently. On the evening of Wednesday, the Sanhedrin convened in Caiaphas' residence, the high priest, fervently discussing their course of action regarding the Galilean, whom they perceived as a threat. All attempts to apprehend Him in the temple, incite the crowd against Him, or arouse the suspicion of the Roman authorities proved futile, thwarted by the devotion of His followers and the wisdom He displayed, which dismantled their most devious plots. It is likely that some voices advocated for allowing Him to continue His mission until He revealed the true nature of His work and teachings.

To the celebration of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread: refer to the commentary on Matthew 26:1, 17. In his role as a historian, Mark provides this observation based on his own perspective, while Matthew presents it as a direct proclamation from the Lord concerning the suffering He is about to endure. Generally, throughout the entire account of the Lord's passion and crucifixion, Mark's narrative aligns with Matthew's depiction of Christ's trials and death. However, Mark's account tends to be more concise, yet he includes specific details and insights that enrich Matthew's narrative, rendering it more vivid and impactful, particularly in sections where their accounts intersect.

The last days' occurrences brought the Lord's fierce adversaries to once again recall the despised Prophet from Galilee. Just prior, they resolved to eliminate Him and instructed that anyone aware of His location should inform them for further directives (John 11:53, 57). When the moment arrived for the realization of the eternal decree concerning humankind's redemption, and the appointed hour drew near (7:6, 30), the Lamb of God, who had borne the sins of humanity (1:29, 36), willingly surrendered Himself into the hands of transgressors (Matt. 26:45).