The document summarizes a biblical passage from Mark 14:12-17 about Jesus' disciples preparing for the Passover meal. It notes that on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they usually killed the Passover lamb, the disciples asked Jesus where they should make preparations for him to eat the Passover. Jesus then sends two disciples into the city where they find a man carrying a pitcher of water and follow him to a house with a large furnished upper room where they can prepare the Passover meal. The disciples then do as Jesus instructed and prepared the Passover there.

1. Who Prepared the Feast?
Women Disciples Prepare the
Passover in
Mark 14:12-17
Karen Fitz La Barge,
Executive Director: WITNESS
www.WITNESSchange.org

2. Mark 14:12-17
12) And on the first day of the Unleavened feast, when they killed the Passover (lamb), his
disciples said to him, “Where do you wish that we should go prepare, in order that you can
eat the Passover?”
13) And he sent out two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man
carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him, wherever he may go in.
14) Say to the master of the house, The teacher says, ‘Where is my guestroom, where I may
eat the Passover with my disciples?’
15) And he will show you a large, already furnished upper room, there prepare for us.”
16) And the disciples went out and came into the city and found it even as he had said to
them, and they prepared the Passover.
17) And when it was evening, he came with The Twelve.

3. The ten occurrences of “Twelve / The Twelve ” in Mark
and the doubtful occurrence in 3:16
Mark 3:14 And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach
Mark 3:16--doubtful occurrence-- So he appointed the twelve: Simon
(to whom he gave the name Peter)
Mark 4:10 And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning
the parables.
Mark 6:7 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them
authority over the unclean spirits.
Mark 9:35 And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first he
must be last of all and servant of all."
Mark 10:32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them;
and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to
tell them what was to happen to him,
Mark 11:11 And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at
everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Mark 14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray
him to them.
Mark 14:17 And when it was evening he came with the twelve.
Mark 14:20 He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.
Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with
him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

4. Mark 3:14-19 (who he named apostles questionable) Matthew 10: 2-4 Luke 6:12 "whom he named apostles" Acts 1:12
Simon Peter Simon Peter Simon Peter Peter
James the son of Zebedee James,the son of Zebedee James James
John the Brother of James "Boangerges" Sons of Thunder John, the brother of James John John
Andrew Andrew, Simon Peter's brother Andrew Simon's Brother Andrew
Philip Philip Philip Philip
Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew
Matthew Matthew, the tax collector Matthew Matthew
Thomas Thomas Thomas Thomas
James the son of Alphaeus James the son of Alphaeus James the son of Alphaeus James the son of Alphaeus
Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot
Thaddaeus Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus
Simon the Cananaean Simon the Cananaean
Simon the Zealot Simon the Zealot
Judas, son of James Judas son of James
The Mark and Matthean “Twelve” vs Luke / Acts “Twelve”

5. Matthew 10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity.
Matthew 11:1 And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from
there to teach and preach in their cities.
Matthew 20:17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and
on the way he said to them,
Matthew 26:20--doubtful occurrence When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve
(disciples);
The three occurrences of “Twelve Disciples” in the four Gospels,
and the doubtful fourth occurrence used in Matt. 26:20

6. “There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and
Salome. These used to follow him and provided (diakoneo) for him when he
was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him
to Jerusalem.“
Mark 15:40

7. Mark 1:31 Simon Peter’s Mother in Law “serves them”.
Mark 7:24 Syrophoenician Woman proves she is knowledgeable about feeding
children AND dogs.
Mark 11:11-14 Jesus is off alone with The Twelve and is described as being
“Hungry.”
Luke 10:38-41 Martha of Bethany is busy with tasks. Probably dinner
preparations as in John 12:2.
John 4 Samaritan Woman at the Well whom Jesus asks for drink.
John 2 Jesus Mother takes the initiative to get the wedding guests more wine.
Synoptic Examples of Women’s Association with Food and Drink

8. The Passover in the Holy Family: Gathering Bitter Herbs.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 1855-56. Watercolor. 16 x 17 in. Tate Gallery. London

9. Baking Matsah. Venice, 1609
www.rigal.freeserve.co.uk/passover/pesach.htm

10. Boiling Pots and Dishes for Pesach.
Holland. 1657
Boiling Pots for Passover
Preparations. Venice. 1609
Preparation Images from
www.rigal.freeserve.co.uk/passover/pesach.htm

11. This Pericope in Matthew 26:17-20
17) On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus,
saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat
the Passover?"
18) He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The
Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house
with my disciples.'"
19) So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared
the Passover meal.
20) When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve.

12. 7) Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be
sacrificed.
8) So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us,
that we may eat it.”
9) They asked him, "Where do you want us to make preparations for it?"
10 “Listen,” he said to them, "when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of
water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters,
11) and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest
room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
12) He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations
for us there" So they went, and found everything as he had told them; and they
prepared the Passover meal. When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and
the apostles with him.
This Pericope in Luke 22:7-14

13. The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. Pieter van Aelst. After a cartoon by Raphael Sanzio c. 1519.
Tapestry in silk and wool with silver gilt threads.
Musei Vaticani. Galleria delle Tappezzerie

14. Detail of
Women Disciples
Jean Cocteau
Mural
in Notre Dame De
France
Leicester Place,
London, UK