The Meaning of Mark 14:13 Explained

Mark 14:13

KJV: And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

YLT: And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith to them, 'Go ye away to the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow him;

Darby: And he sends two of his disciples, and says to them, Go into the city, and a man shall meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

ASV: And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he sendeth forth  two  of his  disciples,  and  saith  unto them,  Go ye  into  the city,  and  there shall meet  you  a man  bearing  a pitcher  of water:  follow  him. 

What does Mark 14:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 14:1-16 - An Offering Of Love
This beautiful incident took place on the Tuesday evening of Passion Week, while the chief priests were gathered in the house of Caiaphas to plot the Lord's death, Matthew 26:3-5. Simon had probably been healed by Jesus, and the feast was held in his house, as being larger than Martha's. Jesus was intimate with Lazarus and his sisters, and this unnamed woman was Mary, John 12:2-3. Alabaster resembled white marble, and the perfume was carefully sealed to preserve it. Its cost would amount to about fifty dollars, and would represent the work of three hundred days, Matthew 20:2. Loveless hearts cannot understand the expenditure of love-they count it waste; but how quickly Jesus steps in to vindicate His own! Probably, of all His followers, Mary alone had understood His references to His death, and as she could not be present to perform the last offices of love, she rendered them in advance. Judas, who led the murmuring, seems to have been goaded to this act by the contrast of Mary's spirit with his own, and by Christ's gentle rebuke.
The two sent to prepare the Passover were Peter and John, Luke 22:8. We may often be guided by very trivial incidents-let us look out for them. A straw may indicate the direction of the current. The owner of the room was probably a secret disciple of Jesus, like him who lent the ass. The r.v. says, "my guest-chamber." It is very beautiful when the Master feels free to put His hand on our possessions, and claim their use. Does he not ask for the guest chamber of our inner life? Is it at His disposal? [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 14

1  A conspiracy against Jesus
3  Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman
10  Judas sells his Master for money
12  Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples;
22  after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper;
26  declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial
43  Judas betrays him with a kiss
46  Jesus is apprehended in the garden;
53  falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council;
65  shamefully abused by them;
66  and thrice denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Mark 14:13

Two of his disciples [δυο των ματητων αυτου]
Luke 22:8 names them, Peter and John. [source]
Bearing a pitcher of water [κεραμιον υδατος βασταζων]
This item also in Luke, but not in Matthew. [source]
A man []
A slave probably, whose business it was to draw water. See Deuteronomy 19:11. [source]
Pitcher []
Of earthenware: κεράμοιν , from κέραμος , potter's clay. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 14:13

Matthew 26:18 To such a man [προς τον δεινα]
The only instance in the N.T. of this old Attic idiom. The papyri show it for “Mr. X” and the modern Greek keeps it. Jesus may have indicated the man‘s name. Mark (Mark 14:13) and Luke (Luke 22:10) describe him as a man bearing a pitcher of water. It may have been the home of Mary the mother of John Mark. [source]
Luke 22:10 A man - pitcher []
See on Mark 14:13. [source]
Luke 22:8 Peter and John [Πετρον και Ιωανην]
Mark 14:13 has only “two” while Matthew 26:17 makes the disciples take the initiative. The word passover in this context is used either of the meal, the feast day, the whole period (including the unleavened bread). “Eat the passover” can refer to the meal as here or to the whole period of celebration (John 18:28). [source]
Luke 22:10 Meet you [συναντησει υμιν]
An old verb συνανταω — sunantaō (from συν — sun with, and ανταω — antaō to face, αντι — anti) with associative instrumental See Mark 14:13 about the “man bearing a pitcher of water.” [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 14:13 mean?

And He sends forth two of the disciples of Him says to them Go into the city will meet you a man a pitcher of water carrying Follow him
Καὶ ἀποστέλλει δύο τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτοῖς Ὑπάγετε εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπαντήσει ὑμῖν ἄνθρωπος κεράμιον ὕδατος βαστάζων ἀκολουθήσατε αὐτῷ

ἀποστέλλει  He  sends  forth 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
δύο  two 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: δύο 
Sense: the two, the twain.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μαθητῶν  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Ὑπάγετε  Go 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
πόλιν  city 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: πόλις  
Sense: a city.
ἀπαντήσει  will  meet 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπαντάω  
Sense: to go to meet, to meet.
ἄνθρωπος  a  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
κεράμιον  a  pitcher 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κεράμιον  
Sense: an earthen vessel, a pot, jar.
ὕδατος  of  water 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὕδωρ  
Sense: water.
βαστάζων  carrying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βαστάζω  
Sense: to take up with the hands.
ἀκολουθήσατε  Follow 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.