Is it I? (Mk 14:19-14:19)

“The twelve apostles

Began

To be distressed.

They said to Jesus.

One after another.

‘Surely!

Not I!’”

 

ἤρξαντο λυπεῖσθαι καὶ λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς κατὰ εἷς Μήτι ἐγώ;

 

This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:22, and something similar to Luke, chapter 22:23, and John, chapter 13:22.  The 12 apostles began to be greatly distressed or pained (ἤρξαντο λυπεῖσθαι) on hearing that one of them was going to betray Jesus.  They said to Jesus, one after another (καὶ λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς κατὰ εἷς) that it was surely not any of them.  Each one declared in the first person singular “Surely!  Not I! (Μήτι ἐγώ)!”  Mark did not have them say “Lord!” as Matthew indicated.

Who will betray Jesus? (Mt 26:22-26:22)

“The twelve became

Greatly distressed.

They began

To say to him,

One after another.

‘Surely not I!

Lord!’”

 

καὶ λυπούμενοι σφόδρα ἤρξαντο λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς ἕκαστος Μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι, Κύριε;

 

This is similar, almost word for word, to Mark, chapter 14:19, and something similar in Luke, chapter 22:23, and John, chapter 13:22.  The 12 disciples became greatly distressed or pained (καὶ λυπούμενοι σφόδρα) on hearing that one of them was going to betray Jesus.  They began to say to Jesus, one after another (ρξαντο λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς ἕκαστος) that it was surely not any of them.  Each one declared in the first person singular “It is not I, Lord (Μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι, Κύριε)!”

The future of the Son of Man (Mt 17:22-17:23)

“As they were gathering

In Galilee,

Jesus said to them.

‘The Son of Man

Is going to be betrayed

Into human hands.

They will kill him.

On the third day,

He will be raised.’

They were greatly distressed.”

 

Συστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Μέλλει ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων,

καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα.

 

This saying about the fate of the Son of Man can also be found in Mark, chapter 9:30-31, and Luke, chapter 9:44, with some minor changes.  This was not the first time that Jesus had talked about this, since it was mentioned earlier in this work, chapter 16:21, in more detail.  Jesus and his disciples were gathering together in Galilee (Συστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ), probably getting ready to go to Jerusalem.  Jesus said to them (εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) that the Son of Man was about to be betrayed by human hands (Μέλλει ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων), without mentioning any particular group as he had done earlier.  They were going to kill him or put him to death (καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν).  However, on the third day (καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ), he would be raised up (ἐγερθήσεται).  On hearing this, the disciples were greatly vexed, pained, or distressed (καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα).  This was shocking news to them.

The darkness (Isa 8:21-8:22)

“They will pass through the land.

They will be greatly distressed.

They will be hungry.

When they are hungry,

They will be enraged.

They will curse their king.

They will curse their gods.

They will turn their faces upward.

Or they will look to the earth.

But they will see only distress.

They will see only darkness.

They will see only the gloom of anguish.

They will be thrust into thick darkness.”

Isaiah has some kind of dark night march. These soldiers were greatly distressed, as they passed through some unnamed land. They were hungry. Thus they were mad at their king and their gods. Whether they looked up or just around them on earth, they could only see distress, darkness, gloom, and anguish. They seemed to be in some kind of thick darkness.