Comments on Mark 14:43-44 Note the presence of armed men and Judas' explicit requirement to take Jesus away safely. Such details underscore the tensions surrounding Jesus. We have to recall the events of the Triumphal Entry (cf. Matt. 21) where all of Jerusalem is in an uproar over the "Son of David". Here is this Passover crowd gathered into Jerusalem expecting Jesus to be the "Son of David" who will, like Moses did in the ancient Passover, deliver them from their oppressors. Naturally, the Jewish religious leaders are upset, but imagine what the Roman authorities are thinking. They're sitting inside the occupied Jewish capital burgeoning with practically every able-bodied Jewish male there is and they are all rallying around this apparent deliverer whom they are calling king. The Romans would naturally be worried about rebellion, and would be very much outnumbered by the Jews. The setting is very tense, so much so that Judas directs them to take Jesus away safely in the event of conflict. Also notice the multitude of armed men are "from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders". They are not composed of chief priests, scribes, and elders, the multitude is sent by them. The former sense the danger and don't want anything to do with it. The group of armed men who come to take Jesus appears to be composed mainly of Roman centurions per John's account (cf. John 18:3, there Judas "received...a band", the Greek for the KJV "band" is "speira" and refers to a Roman cohort). However, among the armed men were Temple Levites as well (cf. John 18:3, "and officers", Luke 22:52 "captains of the temple"). We would assume these are the same captains which Judas consults with in Luke 22:4, whom are sent to take Jesus in John 7:32, and whom are among the overthrown when Jesus cleans the Temple. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.