Mark 14 27

Mark 14:27 kjv

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.

Mark 14:27 nkjv

Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.'

Mark 14:27 niv

"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "?'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

Mark 14:27 esv

And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

Mark 14:27 nlt

On the way, Jesus told them, "All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'

Mark 14 verses

Mark 14 27 Meaning

Jesus foretells His disciples' failure and desertion during His arrest, interpreting their future scattering as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning the striking of the Shepherd. This prophecy reveals the divine decree behind the Messiah's suffering and the temporary disarray of His followers.

Mark 14 27 Context

Mark 14:27 occurs during the Last Supper, specifically after Jesus has instituted the new covenant in His blood. This verse directly precedes the disciples' vehement denials of desertion, particularly Peter's, and Jesus' prediction of Peter's triple denial. The immediate context is Jesus preparing His disciples for the ordeal of His arrest and passion, highlighting both His divine foreknowledge and the scriptural necessity of His suffering. It is a moment of deep solemnity and foreboding before Jesus and His disciples proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane. The broader historical context is the Passover celebration, emphasizing themes of sacrifice and deliverance, which Jesus reinterprets through His impending death.

Mark 14 27 Word analysis

• And Jesus said: Jesus actively speaks and declares. This is not a question but a firm prophetic statement, showcasing His divine authority and foreknowledge even in moments of impending suffering.
• to them: Refers directly to the twelve disciples, including Peter, who would vehemently deny this prediction.
• You will all stumble,
  • You will all: Emphasizes the universal failure among His inner circle. No disciple would be exempt from this initial reaction.
  • stumble: Greek: skandalizō (σκανδαλίζω). Means to cause to stumble, to cause to fall into sin or unbelief, to take offense, or to be snared. Here, it signifies their abandonment and desertion of Jesus under pressure, losing their footing in faith and allegiance. It’s more than a slight misstep; it’s a profound desertion, akin to moral failure or loss of hope.
• because it is written:
  • because: Provides the reason and divine justification for the predicted event. It links the future happening directly to a pre-established divine declaration.
  • it is written: Greek: gegraptai (γέγραπται). This is a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning "it stands written" or "it has been written and continues to stand." This emphasizes the abiding authority and fixed nature of Scripture, signaling that the events are part of God's unchangeable plan and purpose, divinely decreed and prophetic. It signifies prophetic fulfillment.
• “I will strike the shepherd,
  • I will strike: The "I" refers to God the Father (implied from the Zechariah context where the Lord of hosts commands the striking). This reveals God's active, sovereign involvement in Jesus' suffering, making it not merely a human act of evil but part of the divine plan for salvation. It’s God's initiative, even in the "striking" or slaying of the Shepherd.
  • the shepherd: This directly identifies Jesus as the divinely appointed Shepherd of God's flock, a deeply significant Old Testament messianic image (cf. Ezek 34, Isa 40:11). The shepherd cares for, leads, and protects His sheep. His striking implies judgment or sacrifice for His people. This quote comes from Zec 13:7, where the context speaks of a purging of the land through judgment. Jesus applies this specifically to His crucifixion.
• and the sheep will be scattered.”
  • the sheep: Symbolically represents Jesus' disciples and, more broadly, His followers or the flock of Israel that He leads.
  • will be scattered: Refers to the disarray, flight, and dispersal of the disciples that would occur immediately upon Jesus' arrest (Mk 14:50). Without their Shepherd, they would lose direction, courage, and unity, each fleeing for their own safety.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You will all stumble, because it is written:" This phrase sets up the profound theological truth that even the failures of man (the disciples' desertion) are part of a larger, divinely ordained plan foretold in Scripture. Jesus uses prophecy not to condemn but to explain and prepare.
• "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." This prophetic quotation encapsulates the divine orchestration of Christ's passion. It underscores that Jesus' suffering was not an accidental tragedy but a pre-determined act of God for a greater purpose, which inherently would lead to the temporary disruption and scattering of His initial followers. The divine "I" in striking the Shepherd reveals that God's plan involved this ultimate sacrifice.

Mark 14 27 Bonus section

The very next verse (Mk 14:28) immediately provides the counter-point and hope to the scattering: "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." This shows that the scattering is temporary and will be followed by a regathering initiated by the resurrected Shepherd. Thus, Mark 14:27, though predicting desertion, is part of a larger prophetic framework that includes ultimate restoration and triumph, revealing the depths of God's sovereign plan for redemption even through suffering and apparent failure.

Mark 14 27 Commentary

Mark 14:27 provides profound insight into Jesus' understanding of His own mission and the nature of discipleship. Just moments before His betrayal, Jesus confronts His disciples with a difficult truth: they will abandon Him. This is not presented as an unpredictable failing but as a divine necessity, a direct fulfillment of prophecy from Zechariah 13:7.

By quoting "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered," Jesus reveals several crucial aspects:

1. Divine Sovereignty: The phrase "I will strike" indicates God the Father's active role in His Son's suffering and death. This was not a random act of human malice, but part of God's preordained plan for redemption. God initiates the "striking" of the Shepherd for a salvific purpose, fulfilling prophecies that spoke of a Suffering Servant.
2. Jesus as the True Shepherd: Jesus identifies Himself with the Shepherd figure in Zechariah, embodying the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. His death, therefore, is an ultimate act of shepherdly sacrifice.
3. The Nature of Discipleship Under Trial: The prediction that "the sheep will be scattered" acknowledges the weakness and vulnerability of the disciples when their leader is "struck." It anticipates their flight and Peter's denial, illustrating that their faith would be severely tested and momentarily fail under immense pressure.
4. Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus repeatedly demonstrated how Old Testament prophecies pointed directly to Him and His life events, including His suffering and death. This confirmed His messianic identity and the divine purpose behind every stage of His passion.

The verse is stark, emphasizing the initial failure of the disciples. However, within the broader biblical narrative (and hinted at by Jesus in the very next verse, Mk 14:28, regarding His resurrection and gathering), this scattering is not the final word. It represents a temporary scattering, essential for the fulfillment of prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan, leading to subsequent reunion and the strengthening of a renewed body of believers. This prophecy teaches that even moments of apparent failure in faith are sometimes part of God's greater redemptive design.