Mark 14 with Metaphysical Footnotes (ASV)

^14:1Now after two days was the feast of the passover1 and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him2: ^14:2for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people.

Cf. Matt. 26:1-5; Luke 22:1-2; John 11:47-53

1. passover. The Passover typifies the freeing of the spiritual man from the dominion of sense.
2. the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him. Explain. During such periods of transition the conservative ideas of the individual (the chief priests and scribes), actuated by fear of the Christ Spirit stirring in the heart, seek to suppress that Spirit, in order to keep the life unchanged and subject to its original allegiances.

^14:3And while he was in Bethany1 in the house of Simon the leper2, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. ^14:4But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made? ^14:5For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor.3 And they murmured against her. ^14:6But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her?4 she hath wrought a good work on me. ^14:7For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. ^14:8She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying. ^14:9And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Cf. Matt. 26:6-13; Luke 22:1-2; John 11:47-53

1. Bethany. Means “fruitage.” It represents a place in consciousness where our thoughts become established, and through which we can return whenever we so desire, and find a welcome.
2. in the house of Simon the leper. Leprosy is a disease of the body, the result of impure thoughts. Jesus was cleansing his consciousness of all impurity, and the woman with the alabaster cruse of ointment represents the activity of pure love.
3. and given to the poor. The poor represent thoughts of need, lack, insufficiency. The external mind sees these conditions, and its thought is that the first use of every good thing would be to meet the needs of the outer man. But through spiritual wisdom, we should often conserve spiritual substance for the building up of the new body in Christ.
4. why trouble ye her. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. The old thoughts die and pass away, and the cells of the organism follow. When we have the inner communion with Spirit, and the love consciousness is gradually built up, there is an outflow of a fine love essence which acts as a preservative. The pure substance of the body is thus being daily restored and forms the foundation of a new organism. This was symbolically described as preparing “my body beforehand for the burying.”

^14:10And Judas1 Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. ^14:11And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.

Cf. Matt. 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6; John 11:57

1. Judas. Judas (the generative function) is a disciple of Jesus (the I AM). He is entrusted with the control and conservation of the life force or substance, under the direction of the I AM, or divine intelligence. But because he does not recognize or is unwilling to acknowledge the divinity of the I AM, he rebels and seeks to increase the expression of life in ways that are contrary to the divine law. In so doing he betrays the I AM, and the expression of life in the body is impaired or destroyed.

^14:12And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the passover, his disciples say unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and make ready that thou mayest eat the passover? ^14:13And he sendeth two of his disciples1, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him; ^14:14and wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the master of the house, The Teacher saith, Where is my guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ^14:15And he will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready: and there make ready for us.^14:16And the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover2.

^14:17And when it was evening he cometh with the twelve. ^14:18And as they sat and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you shall betray me3, even he that eateth with me. ^14:19They began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? ^14:20And he said unto them, It is one of the twelve, he that dippeth with me in the dish. ^14:21For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.

Cf. Matt. 26:17-25; Luke 22:7-14,21-23; John 13:21-26

1. and he sendeth two of his disciples. The faculties must be called into action, becoming obedient to the instruction of the Christ.
2. they made ready the passover. Whatever makes the mind receptive to Truth prepares us to enter into spiritual consciousness. The “passing over” from sense consciousness to spiritual consciousness. This transition involves sacrifice. Clarification of the perceptive powers in that vision becomes an inner knowing rather than a seeing with the physical eyes.
3. One of you shall betray me. Among our faculties, represented by the disciples of Jesus Christ, we have a Judas. In its highest office this faculty is Judah, spiritual appropriation through prayer and praise. Inverted in human consciousness, this faculty becomes Judas, acquisitiveness. In essence it is good, but in its personal sense and exercise, it brings about suffering and crucifixion.

^14:22And as they were eating, he took bread1, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take ye: this is my body. ^14:23And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them: and they all drank of it. ^14:24And he said unto them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many2. ^14:25Verily I say unto you, I shall no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Cf. Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 22:15-20,39; I Cor. 11:23

1. bread, the cup. Of our partaking spiritually of the life and substance that Christ externalized and raised to Spiritual consciousness. Bread represents the body of Christ, which is spiritual substance. The “cup” is one of the symbols of the life principle, the quickening element in creation, the “blood” of Christ.
2. poured out for many. For remission of the world's sins, which is accomplished by the power of spiritual life to displace sin with a thirst for righteousness.

^14:26And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives. ^14:27And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended1: for it is written,

I will smite the shepherd,

and the sheep shall be scattered abroad.

^14:28Howbeit, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee. ^14:29But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I2. ^14:30And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice. ^14:31But he spake exceedingly vehemently, If I must die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all.

Cf. Matt. 26:31-36; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:36-38

1. all ye shall be offended. They were to fall away from Him because of their fear and spiritual immaturity. The Christ way of gratitude and thanksgiving, of recognition of God as the source of all things, is sometimes despised and rejected of men even today, and credit for success is given to lesser sources: initiative, perseverance, business ability, or personality.
2. Peter said unto him ... yet will not I. Peter here represents untried faith, which sometimes leads one into overconfidence through imperfect self-knowledge. All untried faculties are subject to the same defect: “In like manner also said they all.”

^14:32And they come unto a place which was named Gethsemane1: and he saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I pray. ^14:33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly amazed, and sore troubled. ^14:34And he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: abide ye here, and watch2. ^14:35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. ^14:36And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; remove this cup from me: howbeit not what I will, but what thou wilt.3 ^14:37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping4, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one hour? ^14:38Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak5.^14:39And again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. ^14:40And again he came, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they knew not what to answer him. ^14:41And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest6: it is enough; the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ^14:42Arise, let us be going: behold, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

Cf. Matt. 26:36-46; Luke 22:40-46; John 18:1

1. Gethsemane. Jesus, representing the spiritual I Am, and his disciples, the faculties of mind, entering Gethsemane (meaning wine press and oil; a farm), typify these mind powers entering into the state of consciousness where the I Am goes through the final preparation for the supreme test, the crucifixion on the cross.
2. watch. While Jesus (the I AM) entered farther into the garden (deeper into spiritual consciousness), the disciples (faculties of mind) were bidden to watch in the “without” for the betrayer, Judas, the disciple with the consciousness adverse to the Truth.
3. but what thou wilt. In other words, Jesus was acknowledging God as the one and only Power, able to save from the coming experience, though it seemed inevitable.
4. findeth them sleeping. Because Judas, representing the Life faculty, no longer gave his support; consequently, they fell asleep.
5. but the flesh is weak. The Spirit, that in man which sees and knows from the God viewpoint, is always willing and ready to carry out the edicts of the I Am, but the flesh man, the mortal part of us, which sees from the limited viewpoint, and is not awakened to the larger vision, falls down, does not measure up to the spiritual standard.
6. take your rest: it is enough. Jesus had found the greater light; he had found that inner strength, that sustaining power through which he would be able to carry out that Divine Plan, the Ideal Redemption of man, which he had been sent forth to accomplish, “to give his life a ransom for many,” or in other words, to plant in the heart of humanity the seed of Divine Purity and Life everlasting.

^14:43And straightway, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and staves1, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ^14:44Now he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; take him, and lead him away safely. ^14:45And when he was come, straightway he came to him, and saith, Rabbi; and kissed him.2 ^14:46And they laid hands on him, and took him. ^14:47But a certain one of them that stood by drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. ^14:48And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a robber3, with swords and staves to seize me? ^14:49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but this is done that the scriptures might be fulfilled. ^14:50And they all left him, and fled. ^14:51And a certain young man followed with him, having a linen cloth cast about him, over his naked body: and they lay hold on him; ^14:52but he left the linen cloth, and fled naked.

Cf. Matt. 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-11

1. multitude with swords and staves. The chief priests represent our natural religious tendencies; the scribes, our established religious thoughts. These desire to rule over the religious life by force, and to this end would destroy original truth as expressed in the Christ principle. Judas, representing appropriation, directs them to their selfish end.
2. and kissed him. This mark of greeting is also a token of love and allegiance. The Christ consciousness is the consciousness of divine love.
3. are ye come out, as against a robber? By willingly surrendering all that belongs to personality. One cannot be robbed of what one gives willingly. The acquisitive faculty is thus defeated.

^14:53And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^14:54And Peter had followed him afar off,1 even within, into the court of the high priest2; and he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire. ^14:55Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found it not. ^14:56For many bare false witness against him, and their witness agreed not together. ^14:57And there stood up certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, ^14:58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands. ^14:59And not even so did their witness agree together. ^14:60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? ^14:61But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and saith unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? ^14:62And Jesus said, I am: and

ye shall see the Son of man

sitting at the right hand of Power,

and coming with the clouds of heaven.

^14:63And the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What further need have we of witnesses? ^14:64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be worthy of death. ^14:65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the officers received him with blows of their hands.

Cf. Matt 26:57-68; Luke 22:54-55,63-71; John 18:13-24

1. Peter had followed him afar off. We often find our faith far out-[stepped] by our efforts to live the abundant life. We need to keep our faith keyed to our present understanding, if we would avoid the stress and strain of fruitless striving.
2. the high priest. Represents each person's highest intellectual concept of religion.

^14:66And as Peter was beneath in the court, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest;1 ^14:67and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and saith, Thou also wast with the Nazarene, even Jesus. ^14:68But he denied, saying, I neither know, nor understand what thou sayest: and he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. ^14:69And the maid saw him, and began again to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. ^14:70But he again denied it. And after a little while again they that stood by said to Peter, of a truth thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilaean. ^14:71But he began to curse, and to swear,2 I know not this man of whom ye speak. ^14:72And straightway the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word, how that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

Cf. Matt. 26:69-75; Luke 22:55-62; John 18:25-27

1. one of the maids of the high priest. The maid represents spiritual intuition. She discerns that Peter (faith) belongs with Jesus and she proceeds to test him by saying, “Thou also wast with the Nazarene, even Jesus.” Even when our faith in Truth wavers we intuitively connect our identity with that of the spiritual I AM, Jesus.
2. he began to curse, and to swear. Our minds work in a threefold manner. This trinity of thought action is metaphysically described as mind, idea, and manifestation. When we start thinking a wrong thought the natural tendency is to continue in the error state of consciousness, until the impetus of the thought is exhausted.