Jesus wanted a room where He could eat the Passover "with my disciples." He sent the question in His own name, "The Master saith," and expected the owner to understand. Barnes notes that neither the man nor the house is named, and suggests the reason was probably that Jesus "was desirous of concealing" the place from Judas, who was already looking for a chance to betray Him (Mark 14:10-11). Barnes adds, "There can be but little doubt that Jesus was acquainted with this man, and that he was a disciple." Gill guesses that he "might be Nicodemus, or Joseph of Arimathea, or some man of note and wealth in Jerusalem," offering this only as a possibility.

Jesus told the disciples ahead of time what the owner would do: "he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us" (Mark 14:15). It happened that way. The disciples "found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover" (Mark 14:16). That evening Jesus came with the twelve and ate with them in that room (Mark 14:17-18).

"The goodman of the house" is one Greek word, oikodespotes, the master or owner of the house. Barnes explains that "the original word expresses nothing respecting his character, whether it was good or bad." "The Master" is didaskalos, which Barnes says means literally "the teacher."

The word for "guestchamber" is katalyma, which Thayer defines as an inn or lodging place, or a dining room. It appears only three times in the New Testament: here, Luke 22:11, and Luke 2:7, where the KJV translates it "inn": "there was no room for them in the inn." Barnes notes that ancient writers say that at the great feasts "the houses in Jerusalem were all open to receive guests," and that "furnished" means literally "spread," laid out with carpets and couches for reclining at the table.

Jesus speaks here as the Master who knows the way ahead. He told the disciples who would meet them, where to follow, and what they would find. Barnes says this direction "most clearly proves that he was omniscient." Barnes also allows that Jesus and the man may have made an arrangement beforehand that the disciples did not know about. Either way, Jesus' word proved true in every detail (Mark 14:16).

The question also shows what Jesus wanted on His last night: a place to eat "with my disciples." Matthew Henry writes of the unnamed owner, "He knows those hidden ones who favour his cause, and will graciously visit all who are willing to receive him." A man whose name we never learn opened his upper room, and it became the room of the Lord's Supper (Mark 14:22-25).