01600
 \\Shall gather together his elect\\ (\\episunaxei tous eklektous\\
 \\autou\\). This is the purpose of God through the ages. \\From the\\
 \\uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven\\ (\\ap'\\
 \\akrou gs hes akrou ouranou\\). The Greek is very brief, "from the
 tip of earth to the tip of heaven." This precise phrase occurs
 nowhere else.

01601
 \\Coming to pass\\ (\\ginomena\\). Present middle participle, linear
 action.
 See note on "Mt 24:32"
 ... through verse 36
  for details of verses
 # 28-32
 (the Parable of the Fig Tree).

01602
01603
01604
01605
 \\Not even the Son\\ (\\oude ho huios\\). There is no doubt as to the
 genuineness of these words here such as exists in
 # Mt 24:36
 This disclaimer of knowledge naturally interpreted applies to the
 second coming, not to the destruction of Jerusalem which had been
 definitely limited to that generation as it happened in A.D. 70.

01606
01607
 \\Commanded also the porter to watch\\ (\\kai ti thurri eneteilato\\
 \\hina grgori\\) . The porter or door-keeper (\\thurros\\), as well as
 all the rest, to keep a watch (present subjunctive, \\grgori\\).
 This Parable of the Porter is only in Mark. Our ignorance of the
 time of the Master's return is an argument not for indifference
 nor for fanaticism, but for alertness and eager readiness for his
 coming.

01608
 The four watches of the night are named here: evening (\\opse\\),
 midnight (\\mesonuktion\\), cock-crowing (\\alektorophnias\\), morning
 (\\pri\\).

01609
01610
 \\Watch\\ (\\grgoreite\\). Be on the watch. Present imperative of a verb
 made on the second perfect, \\egrgora\\, to be awake. Stay awake
 till the Lord comes.

01611
 \\After two days\\ (\\meta duo hmeras\\). This was Tuesday evening as we
 count time (beginning of the Jewish Wednesday). In
 # Mt 26:2
 Jesus is reported as naming this same date which would put it our
 Thursday evening, beginning of the Jewish Friday. The Gospel of
 John mentions five items that superficially considered seem to
 contradict this definite date in Mark and Matthew, but which are
 really in harmony with them. See discussion on
 # Mt 26:17
 and my \\Harmony of the Gospels\\, pp. 279 to 284. Mark calls it here
 the feast of "the passover and the unleavened bread," both names
 covering the eight days. Sometimes "passover" is applied to only
 the first day, sometimes to the whole period. No sharp
 distinction in usage was observed. \\Sought\\ (\\eztoun\\). Imperfect
 tense. They were still at it, though prevented so far.

01612
 \\Not during the feast\\ (\\M en ti heorti\\). They had first planned
 to kill him at the feast
 # Joh 11:57
 but the Triumphal Entry and great Tuesday debate (this very
 morning) in the temple had made them decide to wait till after
 the feast was over. It was plain that Jesus had too large and
 powerful a following.
 See note on "Mt 26:47"

01613
 \\As he sat at meat\\ (\\katakeimenou autou\\).
 # Mt 26:7
 uses \\anakeimenou\\, both words meaning reclining (leaning down or
 up or back) and in the genitive absolute.
 See note on "Mt 26:6"
  in proof that this is a different incident from that recorded in
 # Lu 7:36-50
 See note on "Mt 26:6"
 ... through verse 13
  for discussion of details. \\Spikenard\\ (\\nardou pistiks\\). This use
 of \\pistikos\\ with \\nardos\\ occurs only here and in
 # Joh 12:3
 The adjective is common enough in the older Greek and appears in
 the papyri also in the sense of genuine, unadulterated, and that
 is probably the idea here. The word spikenard is from the Vulgate
 _nardi spicati_, probably from the Old Latin _nardi pistici_.
 \\Brake\\ (\\suntripsousa\\). Only in Mark. She probably broke the narrow
 neck of the vase holding the ointment.

01614
01615
 \\Above three hundred pence\\ (\\epan dnarin triakosin\\). Matthew
 has "for much" while
 # Joh 12:5
 has "for three hundred pence." The use of "far above" may be a
 detail from Peter's memory of Judas' objection whose name in this
 connection is preserved in
 # Joh 12:4
 \\And they murmured against her\\ (\\kai enebrimnto auti\\). Imperfect
 tense of this striking word used of the snorting of horses and
 seen already in
 # Mr 1:43; 11:38
 It occurs in the LXX in the sense of anger as here
 # Da 11:30
 Judas made the complaint against Mary of Bethany, but all the
 apostles joined in the chorus of criticism of the wasteful
 extravagance.

01616
01617
01618
 \\She hath done what she could\\ (\\ho eschen epoisen\\). This alone in
 Mark. Two aorists. Literally, "what she had she did." Mary could
 not comprehend the Lord's death, but she at least showed her
 sympathy with him and some understanding of the coming tragedy, a
 thing that not one of her critics had done. \\She hath anointed my\\
 \\body aforehand for the burying\\ (\\proelaben murisai to sma mou eis\\
 \\ton entaphiasmon\\). Literally, "she took beforehand to anoint my
 body for the burial." She anticipated the event. This is Christ's
 justification of her noble deed.
 # Mt 26:12
 also speaks of the burial preparation by Mary, using the verb
 \\entaphiasai\\.

01619
 \\For a memorial of her\\ (\\eis mnmosunon auts\\). So in
 # Mt 26:13
 There are many mausoleums that crumble to decay. But this
 monument to Jesus fills the whole world still with its fragrance.
 What a hint there is here for those who wish to leave permanent
 memorials.

01620
 \\He that was one of the twelve\\ (\\ho heis tn ddeka\\). Note the
 article here, "the one of the twelve," Matthew has only \\heis\\,
 "one." Some have held that Mark here calls Judas the primate
 among the twelve. Rather he means to call attention to the idea
 that he was the one of the twelve who did this deed.

01621
 \\And they, when they heard it, were glad\\ (\\hoi de akousantes\\
 \\echarsan\\). No doubt the rabbis looked on the treachery of Judas
 as a veritable dispensation of Providence amply justifying their
 plots against Jesus. \\Conveniently\\ (\\eukairs\\). This was the whole
 point of the offer of Judas. He claimed that he knew enough of
 the habits of Jesus to enable them to catch him "in the absence
 of the multitude"
 # Lu 22:6
 without waiting for the passover to be over, when the crowds
 would leave. For discussion of the motives of Judas,
 See note on "Mt 26:15"
 Mark merely notes the promise of "money" while Matthew mentions
 "thirty pieces of silver"
 # Zec 11:12
 the price of a slave.

01622
 \\When they sacrificed the passover\\ (\\hote to pascha ethuon\\).
 Imperfect indicative, customary practice. The paschal lamb (note
 \\pascha\\) was slain at 6 P.M., beginning of the fifteenth of the
 month
 # Ex 12:6
 but the preparations were made beforehand on the fourteenth
 (Thursday).
 See note on "Mt 26:17"
  for discussion of "eat the passover."

01623
 \\Two of his disciples\\ (\\duo tn mathtn autou\\).
 # Lu 22:8
 names them, Peter and John. \\Bearing a pitcher of water\\ (\\keramion\\
 \\hudatos bastazn\\). This item also in Luke, but not in Matthew.

01624
 \\The goodman of the house\\ (\\ti oikodespoti\\). A non-classical
 word, but in late papyri. It means master (\\despot\\) of the house,
 householder. The usual Greek has two separate words, \\oikou\\
 \\despots\\ (master of the house). \\My guest-chamber\\ (\\to kataluma\\
 \\mou\\). In LXX, papyri, and modern Greek for lodging-place (inn, as
 in
 # Lu 2:7
 or guest-chamber as here). It was used for \\khan\\ or \\caravanserai\\.
 \\I shall eat\\ (\\phag\\). Futuristic aorist subjunctive with \\hopou\\.

01625
 \\And he\\ (\\kai autos\\). Emphatic, and he himself. \\A large upper room\\
 (\\anagaion mega\\). Anything above ground (\\g\\), and particularly
 upstairs as here. Here and in
 # Lu 22:12
 Example in Xenophon. Jesus wishes to observe this last feast with
 his disciples alone, not with others as was often done. Evidently
 this friend of Jesus was a man who would understand. \\Furnished\\
 (\\estrmenon\\). Perfect passive participle of \\strnnumi\\, state of
 readiness. "Strewed with carpets, and with couches properly
 spread" (Vincent).

01626
01627
 \\He cometh\\ (\\erchetai\\). Dramatic historical present. It is assumed
 here that Jesus is observing the passover meal at the regular
 time and hour, at 6 P.M. at the beginning of the fifteenth
 (evening of our Thursday, beginning of Jewish Friday). Mark and
 Matthew note the time as evening and state it as the regular
 passover meal.

01628
 \\As they sat\\ (\\anakeimenn autn\\). Reclined, of course. It is a
 pity that these verbs are not translated properly in English.
 Even Leonardo da Vinci in his immortal painting of the Last
 Supper has Jesus and his apostles sitting, not reclining.
 Probably he took an artist's license for effect. \\Even he that\\
 \\eateth with me\\ (\\ho esthin met' emou\\). See
 # Ps 4:9
 To this day the Arabs will not violate hospitality by mistreating
 one who breaks bread with them in the tent.

01629
01630
 \\One of the twelve\\ (\\heis tn ddeka\\). It is as bad as that. The
 sign that Jesus gave, \\the one dipping in the dish with me\\ (\\ho\\
 \\embaptomenos met' emou eis to trublion\\), escaped the notice of
 all. Jesus gave the sop to Judas who understood perfectly that
 Jesus knew his purpose.
 See note on "Mt 26:21"
 ... through verse 24
  for further details.

01631
01632
01633
 \\A cup\\ (\\potrion\\). Probably the ordinary wine of the country mixed
 with two-thirds water, though the word for wine (\\oinos\\) is not
 used here in the Gospels, but "the fruit of the vine" (\\ek tou\\
 \\genmatos ts ampelou\\). See
 # Mt 26:26-29
 for discussion of important details. Mark and Matthew give
 substantially the same account of the institution of the Supper
 by Jesus, while
 # Lu 22:17-20
 agrees closely with
 # 1Co 11:23-26
 where Paul claims to have obtained his account by direct
 revelation from the Lord Jesus.

01634
01635
01636
 \\Sung a hymn\\ (\\humnsantes\\). See
 # Mt 26:30
 for discussion.

01637
01638
01639
 \\Yet will not I\\ (\\all' ouk eg\\). Mark records here Peter's boast of
 loyalty even though all desert him. All the Gospels tell it.
 See note on "Mt 26:33"

01640
 \\Twice\\ (\\dis\\). This detail only in Mark. One crowing is always the
 signal for more. The Fayum papyrus agrees with Mark in having
 \\dis\\. The cock-crowing marks the third watch of the night
 # Mr 13:35

01641
 \\Exceeding vehemently\\ (\\ekperisss\\). This strong compounded adverb
 only in Mark and probably preserves Peter's own statement of the
 remark. About the boast of Peter
 See note on "Mt 26:35"

01642
 \\Which was named\\ (\\hou to onoma\\). Literally, "whose name was." On
 Gethsemane
 See note on "Mt 26:36"
 \\While I pray\\ (\\hes proseuxmai\\). Aorist subjunctive with \\hes\\
 really with purpose involved, a common idiom. Matthew adds "go
 yonder" (\\apelthn ekei\\).

01643
 \\Greatly amazed and sore troubled\\ (\\ekthambeisthai kai admonein\\).
 # Mt 26:37
 has "sorrowful and sore troubled." See on Matt. about \\admonein\\.
 Mark alone uses \\exthambeisthai\\ (here and in
 # 9:15
 There is a papyrus example given by Moulton and Milligan's
 _Vocabulary_. The verb \\thambe\\ occurs in
 # Mr 10:32
 for the amazement of the disciples at the look of Jesus as he
 went toward Jerusalem. Now Jesus himself feels amazement as he
 directly faces the struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. He wins
 the victory over himself in Gethsemane and then he can endure the
 loss, despising the shame. For the moment he is rather amazed and
 homesick for heaven. "Long as He had foreseen the Passion, when
 it came clearly into view its terror exceeded His anticipations"
 (Swete). "He learned from what he suffered,"
 # Heb 5:8
 and this new experience enriched the human soul of Jesus.

01644
01645
 \\Fell on the ground\\ (\\epipten epi ts gs\\). Descriptive imperfect.
 See him falling. Matthew has the aorist \\epesen\\. \\Prayed\\
 (\\prosucheto\\). Imperfect, prayed repeatedly or inchoative, began
 to pray. Either makes good sense. \\The hour\\ (\\h hra\\). Jesus had
 long looked forward to this "hour" and had often mentioned it
 # Joh 7:30; 8:20; 12:23,27; 13:1
 See again in
 # Mr 14:41
 Now he dreads it, surely a human trait that all can understand.

01646
 \\Abba, Father\\ (\\Abba ho patr\\). Both Aramaic and Greek and the
 article with each. This is not a case of translation, but the use
 of both terms as is
 # Ga 4:6
 a probable memory of Paul's childhood prayers. About "the cup"
 See note on "Mt 26:39"
 It is not possible to take the language of Jesus as fear that he
 might die before he came to the Cross. He was heard
 # Heb 5:7
 and helped to submit to the Father's will as he does instantly.
 \\Not what I will\\ (\\ou ti eg thel\\). Matthew has "as" (\\hs\\). We see
 the humanity of Jesus in its fulness both in the Temptations and
 in Gethsemane, but without sin each time. And this was the
 severest of all the temptations, to draw back from the Cross. The
 victory over self brought surrender to the Father's will.

01647
 \\Simon, sleepest thou?\\ (\\Simn, katheudeis;\\). The old name, not the
 new name, Peter. Already his boasted loyalty was failing in the
 hour of crisis. Jesus fully knows the weakness of human flesh (
 See note on "Mt 26:41"
 ).

01648
