The KJV Holy Bible

 

Mark Chapter Fourteen

 

1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

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

20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

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.

45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

50 And they all forsook him, and fled.

51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:

52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,

58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

59 But neither so did their witness agree together.

60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

 

 

Esoteric Interpretation & Commentary

 

The Hermetic Blueprint of Mark Chapter Fourteen: The Alchemical Supper and the Surrender of the Personal Will 

"Mark Chapter Fourteen is the critical threshold of the Great Work, marking the final Psychological preparations before the Ultimate Crucifixion of the lower animal ego. The Sovereign Will Internalizes the Solar Light through the Alchemical Supper, faces the profound Subconscious agony of Gethsemane, and voluntarily Surrenders the personal will to the Universal Source. As the unawakened Intellect mounts its final assault, the developing Faculties falter, leaving the Divine Mind to endure the supreme test of Spiritual Isolation."

 

 

Verses 1-9: The Alabaster Box and the Anointing of the Sovereign Will - "After two days was the feast of the passover... And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head... And Jesus said, Let her alone... She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying..." 

The chief priests (the unawakened Intellect) secretly scheme to destroy the Christos. In contrast, the woman with the alabaster box represents the Pure, Intuitive Subconscious pouring out its most precious, Highly Refined Vital Energy (spikenard) to Anoint the Highest Spiritual Center (the head) of the Sovereign Will. Breaking the box signifies the complete shattering of the outer material vessel to release the Inner Spiritual eEsence. The egoistic Intellect calculates the earthly value and considers it a waste, but the Divine Mind Recognizes this as the absolutely necessary preparation for the final Alchemical dissolution (the burying). True devotion to the Great Work requires spending all earthly Vitality on the Higher Self.

 

 

Verses 10-25: Judas' Betrayal and the Alchemical Last Supper - "And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them... And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many..." 

Judas represents the Faculty of material self-preservation and earthly generation. His betrayal signifies the inevitable moment when the lower earthly nature aligns with the rigid Intellect to surrender the Spiritual Principle for material gain. The Last Supper is the Ultimate Alchemical formula for Internal sustenance. The bread represents the Transmuted physical body, and the wine is the Pure Spiritual Life Force or Vitality (the blood). By Instructing the Faculties to Internalize these Elements, the Christos Establishes a new Energetic covenant within the Microcosm. The Awakened Mind must perfectly assimilate the Solar Light and secure this Higher Vibration before enduring the dark night of the Soul.

 

 

Verses 26-42: The Agony in Gethsemane and the Surrender of the Will - "And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy... And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt... And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping..." 

Gethsemane (the oil press) represents the Supreme Psychological pressure cooker of the Subconscious. The Sovereign Will Takes the Three Highest Faculties (Faith, Hope, and Love) into the depths of Internal agony. The "cup" represents the complete Karmic burden of the unredeemed animal ego that must be Transmuted. The Ultimate Hermetic test occurs here: the localized, personal Will must completely Align with and Surrender to the Universal Will of The ALL. By Uttering, "not what I will, but what thou wilt," the Divine Mind Achieves Absolute Unity with the Creator. The sleeping Disciples illustrate that even the Highest Human Faculties cannot remain Conscious through this profound Spiritual Initiation; the Christos must face the abyss completely alone.

 

 

Verses 43-52: The Arrest and the Fleeing of the Faculties - "And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves... And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him... And they laid their hands on him, and took him... And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body... And he left the linen cloth, and fled naked." 

The great multitude represents the chaotic, violent forces of the lower Emotions and the entrenched earthly ego, guided by the betraying Faculty of material generation (Judas). The kiss of Judas demonstrates how the lower nature often uses the guise of Love and self-preservation to betray the Higher Self. When the Sovereign Will is Seized, the Disciples—the developing Faculties of the Mind—scatter in terror, unable to withstand the intense Energetic shock of the Crucifixion process. The young man fleeing naked represents the complete stripping away of the final layers of external Psychological protection (the linen cloth); the Initiate must face the final Transmutation entirely exposed and divested of all earthly defense.

 

 

Verses 53-72: The Trial of the Intellect and the Denial of Faith - "And they led Jesus away to the high priest... And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing?... But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him... Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am... And as Peter was beneath in the palace... he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest..." 

The high priest and council represent the highest tribunal of the established, worldly Intellect, attempting to judge the Infinite Superconscious. The Sovereign Will Maintains Absolute Silence, proving that Divine Truth cannot be defended using the limited tools of human logic. When finally pressed, the Christos Utters the Ultimate Word of Power: "I AM." This is the perfect assertion of Eternal Existence, causing the unawakened Intellect to rend its garments in furious rejection. Meanwhile, Peter (the foundational Faculty of Faith) denies the Christos Three times. This reveals the tragic Hermetic Truth that before the final Resurrection, even the Initiate's most profound faith will crack under the terrifying pressure of material existence and the fear of ego-death. The Microcosm is left in utter darkness, awaiting the final sacrifice.