1 NOW the feast of unleavened bread [ What Was the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Closely associated with the Passover was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As the ancient Israelites made their hasty preparations to leave Egypt and its unwelcome hardships, they did not have sufficient time to permit their bread to rise as was the custom. Instead they baked in haste and vacated their homes as quickly as possible. The festival of Unleavened Bread was held to commemorate this fact. Where Passover lasted one day originally, the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven. In process of time, both festivals were combined into one, making the entire Passover period eight days in length. ] drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; [ Note that Matt. 26:2 Jeus has already explained to his disciplesthat he knew exactly what was going to happen, that he was to be betrayed and crucified. A scribes responsibility was to write down or copy word for word what was said. It was not their duty or responsibility to change, altar or modify in any way what was written. However; it was the scribes who were the ones who modified the text of the old testament books to remove or alter what the Messiah would do and be. They changed him to become a political figure such that the people would not recognize the Savior when he did come. They removed the ordinances and covenants to their ways, ways in which they could control the people through "the Law". for this reason Jesus holds some of his strongest rebukes for the scribes because these were the very ones who were manipulating the text to have it read the way that they wanted - they were perverting that ways of God. ] for they feared the people. [ Jesus while maybe not wildly popular sis have a great many of the people were convinced that Jesus was at least a prophet ]

3 ¶ Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, [ What do we know about Judas? Judas was an interesting person in several ways. He was the treasurer for the disciples (see John 13:29), and was the only Judean among the disciples; the rest were from Galilee. some scholars believe that Judas was a Zealot; i.e., a political activist favoring Jewish independence. Did Satan Literally Enter into Judas’ Body? “Perhaps, for Satan is a spirit man, a being who was born the offspring of God in pre-existence, and who was cast out of heaven for rebellion. He and his spirit followers have power in some cases to enter the bodies of men; they are, also, sometimes cast out of these illegally entered habitations by the power of the priesthood. See Mark 1:21–28. “But if the body of Judas was not possessed literally by Satan, still this traitorous member of the Twelve was totally submissive to the will of the devil. ‘Before Judas sold Christ to the Jews, he had sold himself to the devil; he had become Satan’s serf, and did his master’s bidding.’ (Talmage, [Jesus the Christ], p. 592.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:702. In what ways do we sell ourselves to satan? )] being of the number of the twelve.

4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, [ "captain of the temple" - takes his walks through every watch with torches lighted before him: if he found any upon the watch, that was not standing on his feet, he said, Peace be with thee: but if he found him sleeping, he struck him with a stick, and he might also burn his clothes. And when it was said by others, What noise is that in the court? the answer was, It is the noise of a Levite under correction, whose garments they are burning, because he slept upon his watch. This custom casts light on Rev. 16: 15: Behold, I come as a thief: blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. It is easy to distinguish this captain of the mountain of the temple from the ruler of the temple, or sagan: the former presided over the guards; the latter over the whole service of the temple. We have them both distinguished, Acts iv. 1: there is the captain of the temple; and Annas, who was the sagan. See Lightfoot. ] how he might betray him unto them.

5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him [ Have you ever wondered what or why did Judas betray the Savior? the IV rendering of Mark 14:10 sources provided by the Restoration supply additional information about Judas and the betrayal. First, according to the Joseph Smith Translation, when Jesus told Judas to do quickly what he had decided to do (John 13:27), the Savior clearly warned him: “But beware of innocent blood” (JST Mark 14:28). Because of this, Judas “turned away from him [Jesus], and was offended because of his words” (JST Mark 14:10). Also, the JST incorporates the two accounts of Judas’s death, saying that Judas “hanged himself on a tree. And straightway he fell down, and his bowels gushed out, and he died” (JST Matt. 27:5).
The Prophet Joseph Smith, comparing Judas to apostates of his own day, echoed the teachings in the JST about the nature of and motive for
the betrayal: Judas was rebuked and immediately betrayed his Lord into the hands of His enemies, because Satan entered into him. There is a superior intelligence bestowed upon such as obey the Gospel with full purpose of heart. . . . When once that light which was in them is taken from them, they become as much darkened as they were previously enlightened, and then, no marvel, if all their power should be enlisted against the truth, and they, Judas like, seek the destruction of those who were their greatest benefactors. What nearer friend on earth, or in heaven, had Judas
than the Savior? And his first object was to destroy Him. Judas was not foreordained or predestined as part of his mortal mission to betray Jesus. Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “No person was foreordained or appointed to sin or to perform a mission of evil. No person is ever predestined to salvation or damnation. . . . Judas had his agency and acted upon it; no pressure was brought to bear on him to cause him to betray the Lord, but he was led by Lucifer.”

some scholars have argued that Judas may have actually been trying to help the Savior by putting him in a situation where he would have to show his powers as Messiah to the people as a whole. This would fit in nicely with Judas' history as a Zealot: if Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah by some great miracle, that event would serve as the focal point of a Jewish rebellion. In the estimation of those scholars, it was the failure of this misjudged effort to help that incited Judas to kill himself. Clearly, from the IV, such apologies for Judas are not justified. ] unto them in the absence of the multitude.

7 ¶ Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

10 And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: [ A Hebraism for, I have desired most earnestly. The meaning seems to be, that, having purposed to redeem a lost world by his blood, he ardently longed for the time in which he was to offer himself up. What event did the passover celebrate? In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God helped the Children of Israel escape slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves; the tenth and worst of the plagues was the slaughter of the first-born. The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord passed over these homes, an easy way to remember the holiday. How was this Passover fitting of the events that would shortly occur? This passover was celebrated once, by way of anticipation, before the bloody sacrifice of the victim of salvation, and before the deliverance it was appointed to commemorate; as the figurative passover had been likewise once celebrated before the going out of Egypt, and the deliverance of God's chosen people. Quesnel. What Is the Relationship Between the Sacrament and the Atonement? The final Passover was, in reality, two events rather than one: a formal celebration of the annual Passover supper and the first observance of the Lord’s Supper in commemoration of the atoning act of Jesus Christ. In speaking of the second of the two suppers, Elder Talmage has written: “While Jesus with the Twelve still sat at table, He took a loaf or cake of bread, and having reverently given thanks and by blessing sanctified it, He gave a portion to each of the apostles, saying: ‘Take, eat; this is my body’: or, according to the more extended account, ‘This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.’ Then, taking a cup of wine, He gave thanks and blessed it, and gave it unto them with the command: ‘Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ In this simple but impressive manner was instituted the ordinance, since known as the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The bread and wine, duly consecrated by prayer, become emblems of the Lord’s body and blood, to be eaten and drunk reverently, and in remembrance of Him. (Jesus the Christ, pp. 596–97.) ]

16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

17 And he took the cup, [ This is not the sacramental cup as it is taken before dinner. The sacramental cup was taken in verse 20 after dinner. ] and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

19 ¶ And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, [ This is the sarcamental cup ] saying, This cup [ Note the additional references to the cup in the scriptures. Mark 14:36; Matt 26:27; D&C 19:15-18; ] is the new testament in my blood, [ The New Testament authors are trying to show us the transition from old covenant people to new covenant people. That's where we get the names, Old Testament, New Testament. Here, for instance, when Jesus introduces what we call the sacrament, during the Passover, he says, "Behold the blood of the new covenant," in some translations. Here he says, "This is the New Testament in my blood." In relation we also find reference to the cup itself in that the cup has reference to the jewish wedding traditions. In which after the marriage contract was arranged by the father's, after the bride price was established, after the bridegroom gave the bride to be a generous gift, the bridegroom would sit down with the bride to be and poor a glass of wine(symbolic of blood). Then the bride would have 30 seconds to decide whether to drink the glass of wine or not. To drink the cup meant that she accepted all of the covenants (the marriage agreements) and was ready to become bethrothed, if she did not drink within that 30 seconds the bridegroom would simple leave never to be seen of again.] which is shed for you.

21 ¶ But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

22 And truly the son of man [title for Christ - The "son of God" and the "son of Man" are synonymous... In the pure Adamic language, the name Elohim, the Father, is "Man of Holiness" (signifying that God is a Holy Man), and the name of Christ, the son, is short for "son of Man of Holiness" (Mormon Doctine p671; Moses 6:57] goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

24 ¶ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. [ It was a custom among the ancient Romans to distribute part of the lands which they had conquered on the frontiers of the empire to their soldiers; those who enjoyed such lands were called beneficiarii, beneficed persons; and the lands themselves were termed beneficia, benefices, as being held on the beneficence of the sovereign; and it is no wonder that such sovereigns, however tyrannical or oppressive they might have been in other respects, were termed benefactors by those who were thus dependent on their bounty. ]

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; [Dr. Lightfoot justly conjectures that Peter was the eldest of all the disciples; and he supposes that the strife was kindled between him and the sons of Zebedee, James and John.These three disciples were those whom Christ had distinguished by peculiar marks of his favour; and therefore it is natural to conclude that the strife lay between these three, the two brothers and Peter. Shall we or Peter be at the head? Neither, says our Lord. Let him, Peter, who is chief (o meizwn, the eldest) among you, be as, John, o newterov, the younger.

The younger part of the disciples do not appear to have taken any part in this contention; and our Lord shows Peter, and the sons of Zebedee, that they must be as unambitious as the younger in order to be acknowledged as his disciples. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Peter was the mover of this strife, and therefore our Lord rebukes him by name.] and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; [ The Codex Alexandrinus, with some other interrupetations of the bible including., the later Syriac, and Origen, read in the first clause, diaqhkhn, a covenant. I appoint unto you a COVENANT, as my Father hath appointed unto me a kingdom:-Ye shall be ministers of the new covenant, as I am king in that spiritual kingdom to which it relates. ]

30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 ¶ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, [ When a name is thus repeated in the sacred writings, it appears to be always intended as an expression of love, manifested by a warning voice. As if he had said, While thou and the others are contending for supremacy, Satan is endeavouring to destroy you all: but I have prayed for thee, as being in most danger. "Satan hath desired-you" That is, all the apostles, but particularly the three contenders: the plural pronoun, umav, sufficiently proves that these words were not addressed to Peter alone. Satan had already got one, Judas; he had nearly got another, Peter; and he wished to have all. But we see by this that the devil cannot even tempt a man unless he receive permission. ] behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

39 ¶ And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, [ Luke says he kneelt, Marks says that he fell on the ground, Matthew says that he fell on his face, perhaps he did all of those as he prayed.  ]  and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, [ Is there any other way? Will you find another way? Can I escape this? I know I said I would; but I did not realize just how hard this was going to be. Is there any other way? ] remove this cup [ can I not drink of the punishment of the sins of all mankind from the cup of death. To try to comprehend the scope we need to pause and leave Gethsemane for just a moment. To understand the soul-cry of our Lord and God who pleaded to his Father to take away his “cup” (or lot which had befallen him), you need to have in mind some idea of the weight that was upon him. The Redeemer himself has provided a vivid description for us in a latter-day revelation to Joseph Smith. Underline the passage in the manner illustrated and cross-reference this with your New Testament text. (D&C 19:20.): Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit. ] from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. [ This one phrase I suppose is the most important one ever offered by or for mankind. The Savior submits his will to the will of the Father - no matter how hard is is I will do it. How do we answer? Do we come forth with Father not my will but thine be done? ‘Isn’t it interesting that the Greatest Intelligence in the Universe abandoned His son at the most pivotal moment in His plan? Could it be that it was at this moment that the Greatest Intelligence of All bore witness to the universe that He had put His faith in Jesus? That He knew Jesus would choose Him no matter what? And could it be that when you think He has abandoned you that He is actually saying, ‘I have faith you will choose me even when I’m not there’?” ]

43 And there appeared an angel unto him [ Many have often wondered who the angel was. If I had to suppose it would be that it was Michael or Adam. He was with the Savior during the creation, in addition he was the one who opened the door for sin to which Jesus was now being asked to sacrifice to redeem for all mankind. The apostle Paul taught, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). "That is to say, the Savior's atoning work in Gethsemane is directly linked to Adam's transgression, which brought about the fall of man. The Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement are inextricably linked as the three pillars of eternity, the three central events upon which the Father's plan rests. Who better than Adam to aid and assist the Savior during his time of extreme distress than he whose actions had brought about mortality? Who better to thank the Savior for paying the debt that his actions had introduced (sin, suffering, and the other myriad effects of the Fall) than Adam himself? Who better to strengthen the Great Creator than he who, as one of the gods, assisted the Savior in laying the foundations of the very planet where the Savior himself, as well as all the children of Adam, would someday reside? Who better to minister to the mortal Jesus than one of his own mortal ancestors, for Adam was in very deed a forefather of the Savior's mother, Mary." Andrew C. Skinner, excerpted from "Gethsemane" ] from heaven, strengthening him. [ It has been suggested by many gospel scholars that the angel really was Adam. If such is the case and it would make sense then who better to be with the Savior. You see Adam partook of the fruit knowing that in doing so he would be cast from the Garden and would be subject to death. Just as the Savior was incarnated from heaven to earth in order to redeem mankind. So in essence each of these two men Adam and Jesus were willing to die so that mankind could live. We do not know what the conversation was between the Savior and the angel and we are left only to surmise. Did the Angel say Jehovah. I have come from the presence of Father , he has heard your prayer that this cup pass from me. You too have agency, if you choose I will remove the cup. But if I do what will happen to your brothers and sisters with whom you covenanted in the premortal life that you would be their Savior? Not one will ever return to the presence of Father; all eternity is holding its breath, and in such a moment did the son of man finish the prayer and bow his head, exclaiming never the less not mine will but thy will be done. Have you ever ventured to think were we privilaged to listen to that pray and was there almost an auditable sigh of relief as the Savior said I will do as thou has asked. ]

44 And being in an agony [ From what? from bearing the great burden - “Jesus had to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. . . . And as He in His own person bore the sins of all, and atoned for them by the sacrifice of Himself, so there came upon Him the weight and agony of ages and generations, the indescribable agony consequent upon this great sacrificial atonement wherein He bore the sins of the world, and suffered in His own person the consequences of an eternal law of God broken by men. Hence His profound grief, His 173indescribable anguish, His overpowering torture, all experienced in the submission to the eternal fiat of Jehovah and the requirements of an inexorable law. “The suffering of the son of God was not simply the suffering of personal death; for in assuming the position that He did in making an atonement for the sins of the world He bore the weight, the responsibility, and the burden of the sins of all men, which, to us, is incomprehensible. . . . “Groaning beneath this concentrated load, this intense, incomprehensible pressure, this terrible exaction of Divine Justice, from which feeble humanity shrank, and through the agony thus experienced sweating great drops of blood, He was led to exclaim, ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.’ He had wrestled with the superincumbent load in the wilderness, He had struggled against the powers of darkness that had been let loose upon him there; placed below all things, His mind surcharged with agony and pain, lonely and apparently helpless and forsaken, in his agony the blood oozed from His pores.” (Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement, pp. 149–50.)] he prayed more earnestly: [ The perfect example for us, as times get tough as they were for the Savior what does he do? - He prays more earnestly more intensely, hard than ever before. ] and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [ Blood represented life and covenants. According to Jewish wedding tradition part of the marriage ceremony included the purchase of the bride known as "mohar". So the shedding of blood here is the price(mohar) that the Savior paid as the bridegroom in order to purchase the bride(us). Why was shedding his blood necessary? As far as the record provides, this is the first instance of his blood being shed, his blood had to be shed. (Romans 5:6-12, Eph. 1:6-7; "But Christ...by his blood...entered ...into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12-14; ...an sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ...the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb, (l Peter 1:2, 18-20; behold the blood of thy son which was shed--the blood of him whom thou gavest D&C 35:3-5; Jesus...wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood D&C76-69; ...it mattereth not what ye shall EAT or ...DRINK, when ye partake of the SACRAMENT, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory...REMEMBERING unto the Father my BODY WHICH WAS LAID DOWN for you and my BLOOD WHICH WAS SHED for the REMISSION OF YOUR SINS. (D&C 27:2) And almost all things are by the law purged WITH BLOOD and WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD [THERE) IS NO REMISSION [OF SIN]. (Hebrews 9:19-22) "for you was SLAIN, and hast redeemed us to God by thy BLOOD. (Rev. 5:9-10) From the time it was explained to Adam that the blood sacrifices demanded by the Father, were in anticipation and SIMILITUDE of the SACRIFICE of the ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER. (Roberts p. 48) "I am the GOD of Israel, and the GOD of the whole earth (AND ALL WORLDS), AND HAVE BEEN SLAIN for the SINS OF THE WORLD (AND ALL WORLDS). (3 Nephi 11:10-14) "...SALVATION WAS , and IS, and IS TO COME, IN and THROUGH the ATONING BLOOD OF CHIRST, the Lord Omnipotent..." (Mosiah 3:16-19) ]

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

47 ¶ And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the son of man [ title for Christ - The "son of God" and the "son of Man" are synonymous... In the pure Adamic language, the name Elohim, the Father, is "Man of Holiness" (signifying that God is a Holy Man), and the name of Christ, the son, is short for "son of Man of Holiness" (Mormon Doctine p671; Moses 6:57] with a kiss?

49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

50 ¶ And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

54 ¶ Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

63 ¶ And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

66 ¶ And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

69 Hereafter shall the son of man [title for Christ - The "son of God" and the "son of Man" are synonymous... In the pure Adamic language, the name Elohim, the Father, is "Man of Holiness" (signifying that God is a Holy Man), and the name of Christ, the son, is short for "son of Man of Holiness" (Mormon Doctine p671; Moses 6:57. ] sit on the right hand of the power of God.

70 Then said they all, Art thou then the son of God? [ He is not the son of Joseph. He is not the son of a man. This title the son Of God means that his Father is literally God our Father in Heaven. ] And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

71 And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.