53 And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54 And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire]. 55 And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find [any]. 56 For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57 And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him saying, I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. 59 And neither thus did their testimony agree. 60 And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? 61 But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. 63 And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of 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 upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 14:53-65
Commentary on Mark 14:53-65
(Read Mark 14:53-65)
We have here Christ's condemnation before the great council of the Jews. Peter followed; but the high priest's fire-side was no proper place, nor his servants proper company, for Peter: it was an entrance into temptation. Great diligence was used to procure false witnesses against Jesus, yet their testimony was not equal to the charge of a capital crime, by the utmost stretch of their law. He was asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is, the Son of God. For the proof of his being the Son of God, he refers to his second coming. In these outrages we have proofs of man's enmity to God, and of God's free and unspeakable love to man.