Mark 14:44

14:44-45 Gethsemane was dark, and Jesus was personally unknown to most of the crowd sent to seize him (see John 18:7-8), so Judas had given a sign by which he would identify Jesus. Judas addressed Jesus as Rabbi and greeted him with a kiss, a common form of greeting (1 Sam 10:1; 2 Sam 19:39; Luke 7:45).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 14:44. Ἀσφαλῶς, with due precaution [safety]) The traitor was afraid, lest Jesus should slip from their hands [Therefore the wretched man was now no longer anxious merely about gaining the thirty pieces of silver, but was hurried along by a deadly hatred against Jesus.—V. g.]

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 14:44 . δεδώκει : the pluperfect, but without augment, vide Winer, § xii. 9. σύσσημον (neuter of adjective σύσσημος : σύν , σῆμα ): a sign previously agreed on ( σημεῖον in Mt.), a late word severely condemned by Phrynichus, p. 418, here only in N. T. In Sept [136] for נֵם an “ensign” (Is. Mar 5:26 ). ἀσφαλῶς may mean either: lead Him away with an easy mind (He will not attempt escape), or: lead, etc., cautiously, carefully He may slip out of your hands as He has done before (Luk 4:30 ). Judas was just the kind of man to have a superstitious dread of Christ’s preternatural power.

[136]Septuagint.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So diligently, that he escape not out of your hands.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(44) Take him.—Better, seize.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44. a token] Judas had never imagined that our Lord would Himself come forth to meet His enemies (Joh_18:2-5). He had anticipated the necessity of giving a signal whereby they might know Him. He had pressed forward and was in front of the rest (Luk_22:47). The word translated “a tokene,” Wyclif, only occurs here.

take him] Or rather, seize Him at once.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And as soon as he was come,.... To the place where Jesus was:

he goeth straightway to him; alone; as if he had nothing to do with the company behind, and as if he was his friend, and concerned for his safety:

and saith, Master, Master; expressing great affection for him, and respect to him, by repeating this word. The Ethiopic version has it but once, and so two exemplars of Beza's; and the Vulgate Latin reads, "hail, Master", as in Mat 26:49.

and kissed him; See Gill on Mat 26:49.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

Ver. 44. Had given them a token] συσσημον. Signum consignans, vel commune signum de composito datum; a watchword, or as soldiers call it, the word.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; take him, and lead him away safely. Why was Judas so anxious that Christ should be secured? Perhaps because he feared a rescue, or because he feared lest our Lord should hide himself by an exercise of his miraculous power; and so Judas might lose the thirty pieces of silver.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whomsoever I shall kiss - Probably our Lord, in great condescension, had used (according to the Jewish custom) to permit his disciples to do this, after they had been some time absent.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

44. δεδώκει. No augment, as often (Mar 15:7; Mar 15:10, Mar 16:9; Luk 6:48, etc.). The omission is not rare in class. Grk, partly for convenience, but chiefly for sound. It is most freq. in compounds.

ὁ παραδιδούς. He who was betraying Him.

σύσσημον. A sign previously arranged, a concerted signal or token (A.V., R.V.); more definite than σημεῖον (Mar 13:4), which Mt. has here. The word occurs nowhere else in N.T. and is rare in LXX. The Sanhedrin did not wish to be embarrassed by arresting disciples, who would have little influence without their Master (Mar 14:27), and hence the necessity for a token by which He could be distinguished from them. Jn omits it; see on Joh 18:5. The reports of so exciting a scene, with such rapid action and in imperfect light, would be sure to differ considerably. But it is not likely that the kiss is a fiction. Few details in history have made such an impression on men’s minds.

φιλήσω. The meaning “kiss” is common in class. Grk and in LXX., but in N.T. it is used only of Judas; φίλημα is used of the “kiss of peace” in Paul and 1 Peter.

αὐτός ἐστιν. He is the man. Cf. Luk 24:21.

κρατήσατε αὐτόν. See on Mar 3:21, Mar 6:17.

ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς. Cf. Mar 14:53, Mar 15:16; Act 12:19. Ἀπάγω frequently has the meaning of “arrest,” “take before a tribunal,” “put in prison” (Hdt. Plat. Dem. and also in papyri). For his own sake Judas would be anxious that there should be no failure; he could never face the Master again. Moreover he knew that Jesus possessed mysterious powers, and that hitherto he had always escaped; Mar 3:6, Mar 11:18; Luk 4:30; Joh 7:44-45; Joh 8:59; Joh 10:39; Joh 11:53; Joh 11:57; Joh 12:19. That Judas had warned the men whom he led of Christ’s supernatural power is not probable; but there was the possibility of rescue. Latin versions differ widely in their rendering of ἀσφαλῶς: caute (Vulg.), firmissime (f), diligenter (d), cum omni sollicitudine and cum monitione (some MSS. of Vulg.). Nearly all have ducite, but more accurately abducite (q).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44.] On the pluperfect without the augment, see Winer, § 12. 9.

σύσσημον is a word belonging to later Greek. We have in Diod. Sic. xx. 42, ἦρε τὸ συγκείμενον πρὸς μάχην σύσσημον, ἀσπίδα κεχρυσωμένην. See other examples in Kypke.

ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς] It does not quite appear whether ἀσφαλῶς is to be subjectively taken, ‘with confidence;’ or objectively, ‘safely.’ Some suppose that it has an ironical meaning—q. d. ‘He will know how to rescue himself—take care that you keep Him safe.’ This of course depends upon the view taken of the whole character and purpose of Judas, on which see notes at Mat 26:14 and 27:3.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44. σύνσημον1—a sign between them, a concerted signal. The need of this does not appear, as Jesus was a well-known figure. But in the darkness and confusion, there was the possibility of escape, and there was an evident desire to make everything sure. ὅν ἂν φιλήσω—This sign given by Judas had nothing unusual about it, but was the ordinary form of salute. κρατήσατε αὐτὸν κ. ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς—These directions were given by Judas to the crowd of which he had constituted himself the leader. ἀσφαλῶς—securely, giving no chance for escape. Judas, having once entered into this affair, did not want a fiasco made of it. The motives of Judas in this extraordinary treachery are difficult to understand. In judging of them, we have to remember that he was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus to be his most intimate companions, and we must not undervalue that choice by ascribing to Judas motives of such utter and irredeemable vileness as would make him an impossible companion for any decent person. It may be that he had for his purpose in this extraordinary move to force Jesus to assume the offensive against his enemies. This is, at least, vastly more probable than the mercenary motive hinted at in the Fourth Gospel. But, whatever his motive, whether he actually turned against Jesus, or only seemed to, in order to compel him to assume his power, he would want to make sure that his plan succeeded.

ἀπάγετε, instead of ἀπαγάγετε, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BDL 28, 40, 69.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Token [συσσημον] . A later Greek compound used only by Mark in this passage. Compare shmeion, Mt 26:48. The sun, with, gives the force of mutual token : a concerted signal.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.