What is the feast of the Passover and unleavened bread in this passage?

The feast of the Passover and unleavened bread was a major time of worship for Israel. It remembered how God passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt and spared their firstborn, then brought them out of slavery. A lamb was killed and eaten at Passover, and for seven days they ate bread without leaven. In this passage it is two days before that feast, so many people are gathering. This timing matters because Jesus, the one called the Lamb of God, is about to be put to death during that same season.

Why were the chief priests and scribes trying to take Jesus by craft?

The chief priests and scribes wanted Jesus dead, but they knew he was popular with many people. They feared that a direct and open arrest might stir up trouble among the crowds. So they looked for a way to take him "by craft," meaning by trickery or a secret plan. Their goal was not justice but getting rid of him while keeping their own position safe. It shows how far they were willing to go in their hatred, even while still acting like religious leaders.

Why did the leaders say not to arrest Jesus on the feast day?

They said, "Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people" because the feast brought large crowds from many places into the city. Many people had heard Jesus teach and seen or heard of his works, so seizing him openly during the feast might lead to a public uproar. The leaders were more worried about keeping peace and holding their power than about doing what was right. Their timing was driven by fear of people, not by fear of God.

How does the Passover setting relate to Jesus being put to death?

This passage shows that Jesus is about to die right at the time of Passover, when a lamb was killed as part of remembering God’s rescue of Israel. The leaders wanted to avoid the feast days, yet in God’s plan Jesus was killed during that very season. His death would become a kind of true Passover, where his blood would mean rescue for those who trust him. So the timing links his death with sacrifice and deliverance, even though the leaders only thought about their own plans.

What does this passage show about the hearts of the religious leaders?

The passage shows that the chief priests and scribes had hard hearts toward Jesus. Instead of listening to his teaching or turning to God, they plotted in secret to kill him. They were willing to use deceit, and their main concern was avoiding a riot, not seeking truth or justice. Outwardly they were leading worship at Passover, but inwardly they were planning murder. This contrast shows how a person can be very religious on the outside and yet far from God in the heart.

What does the phrase "lest there be an uproar of the people" tell us?

That phrase shows the leaders knew Jesus had support among many ordinary people. They feared that if they arrested him during the feast, the crowd might react strongly, even violently, in his defense. So they tried to manage the situation by choosing a time that suited them. It reveals that their decisions were driven by fear of losing control and upsetting the masses, rather than by love for God or concern for what was right.

How can this passage speak to believers today?

This passage can lead believers to ask what they fear more: people or God. The leaders feared an uproar, so they secretly planned evil while keeping a religious front. Today it is easy to care more about reputation, comfort, or keeping peace with others than about obeying God. This short scene invites believers to check their hearts, to be honest before God, and to avoid any kind of hidden sin or double life, even when doing outwardly religious things.

What was happening in Jerusalem two days before the Passover feast?

Two days before the Passover feast, Jerusalem was filling with visitors who came to remember God’s rescue from Egypt. At the same time, hidden from the crowds, the chief priests and scribes were meeting and planning how to arrest Jesus by trickery and kill him. So while the city prepared for worship and remembrance of God’s past salvation, its leaders were preparing an unjust death for the one who had come to bring true and lasting salvation.

Mark.14.1

Mark 14:1

KJV

After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Death Plot and Anointing

1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

Cross References

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