Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 14:19

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, [Is] it I? and another [said, Is] it I?

19. they began to be sorrowful ] The very thought of treason was to their honest and faithful hearts insupportable, and excited great surprise and deepest sorrow.

one by one ] Observe the pictorial and minute details of St Mark.

Is it I? ] None of them said “Is it he? ” So utterly unconscious were they of the treachery that lurked in their midst.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 19. And another said, Is it I?] This clause is wanting in BCLP, seventeen others, Syriac, Persic, Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Vulgate, and four of the Itala. Griesbach leaves it doubtful: others leave it out.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And they began to be sorrowful,…. And were so, all but Judas, at this saying of Christ’s:

and to say unto him, one by one; even till it came to Judas himself,

is it I? that shall betray thee;

and another said, is it I? This clause is wanting in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, and in two of Beza’s copies; and indeed seems to be redundant, since the disciples are said before to express themselves in this manner, one by one;

[See comments on Mt 26:22].

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

1) “And they began to be sorrowful,” (erksanto iupeisthei) “Then they began to grieve,” to be heavy in heart and conscience, both that He would be betrayed, and that one of them would be the traitor.

2) “And to say unto Him one by one,”(kai legeinautoeis kata eis) “And to inquire of Him repeatedly, one by one,” Luk 22:23.

3) “Is it I? and another said, Is it l?”(metiego)”Is it l? It is not I, Is it?” Mat 26:22; ‘Even Judas said, “Master (Rabboni) or honorable teacher, is it I?” Jesus replied “Thou has said,” quietly to him, Mat 26:25.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

‘They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one by one, “Is it I?” ’

It is clear from this that they took His words as an overstatement. Each was conscious that he had failed Jesus in the past and would do so again. They probably felt that He was simply saying that in some way they would bring Him into disrepute, and it grieved them to think of it. Yet each asked it in a way (in the Greek) that expected Jesus to say ‘no’. Their words meant ‘surely it is not I?’ Apart from the one they were good hearted men, even if weak and failing.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

Ver. 19. See Trapp on “ Mat 26:22 “

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

19. ] (or ) , a later Greek phrase in which the preposition serves merely as an adverb of distribution, is treated by Winer, 37. 3. The following is used as if not but only had been used. Meyer remarks that such broken construction is suitable to the graphic tendency of our Evangelist.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mar 14:19 . , one by one = in Mt.; is used adverbially, and hence is followed by instead of . For other instances of this usage of late Greek vide Joh 8:9 , Rom 12:5 , and cf. Winer, xxxvii. 3.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mark

THE NEW PASSOVER

‘IS IT I?’

Mar 14:19 .

The scene shows that Judas had not as yet drawn any suspicion on himself.

Here the Apostles seem to be higher than their ordinary stature; for they do not take to questioning one another, or even to protest, ‘No!’ but to questioning Christ.

I. The solemn prophecy.

It seems strange at first sight that our Lord should have introduced such thoughts then, disturbing the sweet repose of that hallowed hour. But the terrible fact of the betrayal was naturally suggested by the emblems of His death, and still more by the very confiding familiarity of that hour. His household were gathered around Him, and the more close and confidential the intercourse, the bitterer that thought to Him, that one of the little band was soon to play the traitor. It is the cry of His wounded love, the wail of His unrequited affection, and, so regarded, is infinitely touching. It is an instance of that sad insight into man’s heart which in His divinity He possessed. What a fountain of sorrow for His manhood was that knowledge! how it increases the pathos of His tenderness! Not only did He read hearts as they thought and felt in the present, but He read their future with more than a prophet’s insight. He saw how many buds of promise would shrivel, how many would go away and walk no more with Him.’

That solemn prophecy may well be pondered by all Christian assemblies, and specially when gathered for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Perhaps never since that first institution has a community met to celebrate it without Him who ‘walks amid the candlesticks,’ with eyes as a flame of fire marking a Judas among the disciples. There is, I think, no doubt that Judas partook of the Lord’s Supper. But be that as it may, he was among the number, and our Lord knew him to be ‘the traitor.’

In its essence Judas’s sin can be repeated still, and the thought of that possibility may well mingle with the grateful and adoring contemplations suitable to the act of partaking of the Lord’s Supper. In the hour of holiest Christian emotion the thought that I may betray the Lord who has died for me will be especially hateful, and to remember the possibility then will do much to prevent its ever becoming a reality.

II. The self-distrustful question, ‘Is it I?’

It suggests that the possibilities of the darkest sin are in each of us, and especially, that the sin of treason towards Christ is in each of us.

Think generally of the awful possibilities of sin in every soul.

All sin has one root, so it is capable of passing from one form to another as light, heat, and motion do, or like certain diseases that are Protean in their forms. One sin is apt to draw others after it. ‘None shall want her mate.’ Wild beasts of ‘the desert’ meet with wild beasts of ‘the islands.’ Sins are gregarious, as it were; they ‘hunt in couples.’ ‘Then goeth he, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself.’

The roots of all sin are in each. Men may think that they are protected from certain forms of sin by temperament, but identity of nature is deeper than varieties of temperament. The greatest sins are committed by yielding to very common motives. Love of money is not a rare feeling, but it led Judas to betray Jesus. Anger is thought to be scarcely a sin at all, but it often moves an arm to murder.

Temptations to each sin are round us all. We walk in a tainted atmosphere.

There is progress in evil. No man reaches the extreme of depravity at a bound. Judas’s treachery was of slow growth.

So still there is the constant operation and pressure of forces and tendencies drawing us away from Jesus Christ. We, every one of us, know that, if we allowed our nature to have its way, we should leave Him and ‘make shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience.’ The forms in which we might do it might vary, but do it we should. We are like a man desperately clutching some rocky projection on the face of a precipice, who knows that if once he lets go, he will be dashed to pieces. ‘There goes John Bradford, but for the grace of God!’ But for this same restraining grace, to what depths might we not sink? So, in all Christian hearts there should be profound consciousness of their own weakness. The man ‘who fears no fall’ is sure to have one. It is perilous to march through an enemy’s country in loose order, without scouts and rearguard. Rigorous control is ever necessary. Brotherly judgment, too, of others should result from our consciousness of weakness. Examples of others falling are not to make us say cynically, ‘We are all alike,’ but to set us to think humbly of ourselves, and to supplicate divine keeping,’ Lord, save me, or I perish!’

III. The safety of the self-distrustful.

When the consciousness of possible falling is brought home to us, we shall carry, if we are wise, all our doubts as to ourselves to Jesus. There is safety in asking Him, ‘Is it I?’ To bare our inmost selves before Him, and not to shrink, even if that piercing gaze lights on hidden meannesses and incipient treachery, may be painful, but is healing. He will keep us from yielding to the temptation of which we are aware, and which we tell frankly to Him. The lowly sense of our own liability to fall, if it drives us closer to Him, will make it certain that we shall not fall.

While the other disciples asked ‘Is it I?’ John asked ‘Who is it?’ The disciple who leaned on Christ’s bosom was bathed in such a consciousness of Christ’s love that treason against it was impossible. He, alone of the Evangelists, records his question, and he tells us that he put it, ‘leaning back as he was, on Jesus’s breast.’ For the purpose of whispering his interrogation, he changed his attitude for a moment so as to press still closer to Jesus. How could one who was thus nestling nearer to that heart be the betrayer? The consciousness of Christ’s love, accompanied with the effort to draw closer to Him, is our surest defence against every temptation to faithlessness or betrayal of Him.

Any other fancied ground of security is deceptive, and will sooner or later crumble beneath our deceived feet. On this very occasion, Peter built a towering fabric of profession of unalterable fidelity on such shifting ground, and saw it collapse into ruin in a few hours. Let us profit by the lesson! That wholesome consciousness of our weakness need not shade with sadness the hours of communion, but it may well help us to turn them to their highest use in making them occasions for lowlier self-distrust and closer cleaving to Him. If we thus use our sense of weakness, the sweet security will enter our souls that belongs to those who have trusted in the great promise: ‘He shall not fall, for God Is able to make him stand.’ The blessed ones who are kept from falling and ‘presented faultless before the presence of His glory,’ will hear with wonder the voice of the Judge ascribing to them deeds of service to Him of which they had not been conscious, and will have to ask once more the old question, but with a new meaning: ‘Lord, is it I? when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee?’

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren

began. See note on Mar 1:1.

by. Greek. kata. App-104.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

19.] (or ) , a later Greek phrase in which the preposition serves merely as an adverb of distribution, is treated by Winer, 37. 3. The following is used as if not but only had been used. Meyer remarks that such broken construction is suitable to the graphic tendency of our Evangelist.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mar 14:19. ) So Joh 8:9, and ; Rom 12:5.- ; 3Ma 5:31. From (not ) and comes , of similar formation to , , unless you prefer accenting it , in order to distinguish it from the participle ; is used adverbially, as .

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

and to: Mat 26:22, Luk 22:21-23, Joh 13:22

Reciprocal: Luk 22:23 – General Joh 13:26 – He it is

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

IS IT I?

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto Him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

Mar 14:19

In this question of each of the disciples we see

I. Self-recognition of the possibility of sin.

(a) This self-recognition is better than self-confidence. Had St. Peter been uniformly possessed with this spirit; had he humbly recognised the possibility of denial rather than boldly say out, Though all men should deny Thee, yet will not I, would not this very fear have been a preservative?

(b) This self-recognition may be roused in various ways. Here it was by our Lords express challenge. One of you shall betray Me. Such a challenge, thrown out under any circumstances without a hint of the quarter whence the traitor should arise, would naturally produce self-questioning. Sometimes it may be on reading, hearing, or seeing anothers sin. In the humble mind the inquiry may be well started, Am I not capable of this very fault I am compelled to witness and condemn in others? Will not this tinge all our judgments on others with mercy? Perhaps the question may arise when we are ourselves overtaken in a fault. Is this I? Then we feel that deep down in our nature there is the possibility of even worse.

II. The recognition of Christs knowledge of the human heart. Is it I? It is the same admission as St. Peters, Thou knowest all things.

(a) The Saviour knows our characters. How very diverse were those of these few disciples, all dipping in the same Passover dish of charosheth, and partaking of it with the bitter herbs! But all were known to Him. I know My sheep.

(b) The Saviour knows our capabilities, the good and bad possibilities within us. Was Judas chosen as a disciple and ordained to be with Him as an apostle other than for the growth and development of the good in him, that he might be really Judas, i.e. the praise of God?

(c) The Saviour knows our future. The knowledge of His Cross, the minute predictions with reference to this very Passover preparation, are all so many proofs of His intimate knowledge of futurity. He told St. Peter what he should do; He now reveals to Judas what deed he was about to commit; and when the foul traitor saw that he was discovered, the devil entered into him.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

9

They began . . . to say . . . Is it I, which includes Judas, for had he not joined in the inquiry, his silence would have been significant.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Mar 14:19. The question of Judas (Matthew) is omitted here. Comp. at this point Joh 13:23-30.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The disciples’ grief expressed sadness at this announcement. Their question was a protestation of innocence but with a tinge of self-distrust. It expected a negative answer, but it was a question. Judas’ motive in asking was obviously different from the others. Jesus’ answer again implied the treachery of the betrayer. It also gave him an opportunity to repent since Jesus did not name him.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)