Mark 14:65 Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.

After all the Council condemned Jesus as deserving death, what do some begin to do?

“And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ . . .” (Mark 14:65).

·      ἐμπτύειν (emptyein) (“to spit") Present Active Infinitive of ἐμπτύω, “spit on/ at τινί someone” (BDAG, 325).

·      περικαλύπτειν (perikalyptein) (“to blindfold”) Present Active Infinitive of περικαλύπτω, “to cover by putting something around, cover, conceal” (BDAG, 801).

·      κολαφιζειν (kolaphizein) (“to beat”) Present Active infinitive of κολαφιζω, “to strike sharply, especially with the hand, strike with the fist, beat, cuff τινί someone” (BDAG, 555).

·      λέγειν (legein) (“to say”) Present Active Infinitive of λέγω, “to express oneself orally or in written form, utter in words, say, tell, give expression to” (BDAG, 588).

·      προφήτευσον (prophēteuson) (“Prophesy!”) Aorist Active Imperative of προφητεύω, (BDAG, 890)

1.    to proclaim an inspired revelation, prophesy

2.   to tell about something that is hidden from view, tell, reveal, of the scornful challenge to Jesus that reduces inspired activity to clairvoyance

3.   to foretell something that lies in the future

J. D. M. Derett claims that the demand for the blindfolded Jesus to ‘Prophesy’ can be explained on the basis of Isaiah 11:3 and that “one who claimed to be Messiah was popularly expected to be able to identify his assailant by smell without seeing him” 

 (R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: a Commentary on the Greek Text, NIGTC, 617).

Who received Jesus with slaps?

“the officers” (Mark 14:65)

·      οἱ ὑπηρέται (hypēretai) (“the officers”) “one who functions as a helper, frequently in a subordinate capacity, helper, assistant” (BDAG, 1035).

·      Who was with Judas when Jesus was arrested?

“Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders” 

(Mark 14:43).

How did the officers receive Jesus?

“with slaps” (Mark 14:65).

·      ῥαπίσμασιν (rhapismasin) “a blow inflicted by some instrument such as a club, rod, or whip, blow; a blow on the face with someone’s hand, a slap in the face” (BDAG, 904).

·      ἔλαβον (elabon) 3P Aorist Active Indicative of λαμβάνω “to get hold of something by laying hands on or grasping something, directly or indirectly, take, take hold of, grasp, take in hand”  

       (BDAG, 583).

Father,

Great is our sin.

Greater still is Your mercy towards all who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.