Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 14:1

"Now after two days was [the feast of] the passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him:" — Mark 14:1 (ASV)

These verses introduce the passion and resurrection narrative. Passover is the Jewish festival commemorating the occasion when the angel of the Lord passed over the homes of the Hebrews on the night he killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians (cf. Exodus 12:13, 23, 27). The lambs used in the feast were slain on the fourteenth of Nisan (March/April), and the meal was eaten that evening between sundown and midnight. According to Jewish reckoning, that would be the fifteenth of Nisan, since the Jewish day began at sundown. The Feast of Unleavened Bread followed Passover and lasted seven days (cf. Exodus 12:15–20; 23:15; 34:18). Since the Last Supper was probably a Passover meal and took place on Thursday night, this decision to arrest Jesus must have taken place on Wednesday of Passion Week. The phrase “only two days away” is better translated as “on the second day,” i.e., “tomorrow.” For a long time the religious authorities had been looking for a way to get rid of Jesus (cf. 3:6; 11:18; 12:12). Now they renewed and intensified their efforts. But it was necessary for them to proceed with the utmost caution. Since Passover (like Tabernacles and Pentecost) was one of the pilgrim feasts, great throngs of people invaded the Holy City to celebrate it. The chief priests and teachers of the law realized that it would be too risky to move in on Jesus with such a highly excitable crowd present. The possibility of a riot was too great. It would be wiser to wait for a more propitious moment—perhaps after the pilgrims had left the city to go home. God’s purposes were otherwise, and this part of their plan miscarried. Perhaps the unexpected help from one of Jesus’ disciples (14:10–11) changed their minds, and they decided to go through with their wicked scheme despite the presence of the Passover pilgrims.