Mark #14 Easter

Continuing our Walk Through Mark

Thank you guys, and thank you Kristi & Eloise for that wonderful music, but before we continue in our study of Mark, please if you would:

“Join me in a word of prayer.”

As most of you know, just after Christmas we began a study of the Gospel of Mark and we’ve only made it through the first six chapters. And guess what ? The Easter season has really sneaked up on us, so I found it only appropriate that we kinda fast forward our study in Mark to the climax of his Gospel found in the last three chapters with the arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We’ll pick things up in chapter 14 of Marks account.

(Read 14:1-11)

Two days before the annual celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the opponents of Jesus are still looking for an opportunity to arrest and kill Him—and finally come up with a plan to do just that. Yet others are beginning to recognize who He is, acknowledging Him in a way that incited the Jewish religious leaders even more.

During annual festivals, the population of Jerusalem swelled to three or four times normal. So even though all the Jewish religious leaders were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, they are afraid of a riot among the people.

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread began on the same day, but the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days. They both celebrated the barley harvest and recalled the time when Israel ate unleavened bread during the exodus from Egypt. Passover celebrates the “passing over” of the death angel who spared the firstborn sons of the Israelites in their homes with blood on the door posts (Exodus 12:1–28). The Passover lamb could be killed only in the temple and eaten only within the city of Jerusalem. The emphasis on God’s leading the people from slavery to freedom, along with the slaying of innocent lambs, made the timing and symbolism of Jesus’ death highly significant.

Jesus was still popular, in large part due to His acceptance of people who were normally ignored or looked down on by other Jewish and Roman leaders. Here Mark shows that Jesus is at a party given by a man identified only as “Simon the leper” in verse 3—perhaps he was someone Jesus had healed. Scripture doesn’t really tell us.

While Jesus is reclining at the table, a woman approaches Him, and that’s unusual in itself, because Jewish women didn’t normally attend banquets for men except as servants. But in addition, she breaks a jar of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ head. Mark doesn’t explain the woman’s motives or who she is. However The Gospel of John indicates this woman is Jesus’ friend, Mary.

The woman’s actions result in criticism from many of those present according to verses 4 and 5.(4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.”) But Jesus not only recognizes her motives, but also publicly defends her. It isn’t that He doesn’t share the other’s concern for poor, but the world would have only one Messiah and one sacrifice for their sins, so those facts were more important at that point. Only the woman had recognized the significance of the moment.

Verse 8 reveals Jesus’ perception of the woman’s actions, whether it had been her intent or not. And His prophecy in verse 9 (“9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”) was fulfilled as Mark recorded the event.

In stark contrast to the woman’s devotion to Jesus, Mark inserts Judas’s decision to betray Jesus at this point in verses 10 and 11. Mark had only mentioned Judas once previously, and that was in a list of the disciples all the way back in chapter 3. Nothing is said of Judas’s motive, but Luke 22:3 tells us that satan had entered him. Judas’s cooperation with the Jewish religious leaders sets in motion the plan to have Jesus put to death.

Next we have the Institution of the Lord’s Supper in verses 12-26. Three important aspects to this section support Mark’s theme that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: (1) Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover; (2) Jesus is not taken by surprise by His captors; and (3) Everything that Jesus does is in accordance with prophesy as recorded in the scriptures.

The unique manner in which a house was arranged for the Passover meal in verses 13-16, echoes the arrangements Jesus made to secure the colt to ride into the city on back in Chapter 11 verses 1-6. The “man carrying a jar of water” in verse 13 should have stood out because women ordinarily did the transporting of water jars. Large upper rooms in verse 15 were rare back in ancient Palestinian homes. A furnished room would have provided carpets, couches, and utensils as well.

Jesus has already made it clear that He will be betrayed and put to death. The observation that Jesus’ betrayer is a close friend is intended to show the extent of Judas’s crime. In ancient Jewish society, eating together was one of the most meaningful indications of friendship. Few actions were more despicable than betraying a friend at a shared meal together.

The Passover meal was special. In addition to the main course of a specially sacrificed lamb, it began not with the traditional breaking of bread, but by dipping bread and bitter herbs into a bowl containing dried fruits, spices, and wine or vinegar. Wine was mandatory at Passover, but rare at other meals (at least among the common folk). Passover was celebrated in the evening rather than late afternoon. Reclining while eating was more common at formal meals than ordinary ones. And a traditional dinner did not conclude with a hymn. This was a very special occasion.

The very celebration of Passover is a reminder that death is necessary to provide salvation. Judas, the one who betrays Jesus will face a horrible consequence for his actions. The word woe in verse 21 carries with it intense condemnation. At that time, all the disciples were afraid Jesus was talking about them.

At some point during this Passover, Jesus institutes a new meal for His followers. It begins with giving thanks, followed by the proclamation that the bread represents Jesus’ body and the wine represents His blood. Up until this point, Passover for the Jews, symbolized the lamb that was slain to preserve life just prior to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, and still does. In the future, however, the celebration for Christians would become a remembrance of the body of Jesus offered up as our substitute and His blood shed to provide the forgiveness for our sins. “Poured out” in verse 24 indicates the shedding of blood would be violent, which we know it was. The “last supper” was Jesus’ final meal together with His disciples. Events will now unfold that bring about the death of Jesus. He has instituted a formal remembrance, but will now continue to prepare those He loves for what is about to happen to Him.

After all the predictions and preparations by Jesus, the time has finally come for His arrest and trial. The whole process, including His death and resurrection, took only a weekend. Yet the emotional toll of dread, denial, betrayal, and physical abuse, was beyond all imagination.

(Read verses 32-51.)

At the Passover dinner Jesus had predicted His betrayal by Judas in verse 18. In verse 27, while on the way to the Mount of Olives He foretells that all His disciples will “fall away”. Yet Jesus is already looking beyond their failure to His reunion with them after His resurrection.

Peter makes a bold and arrogant claim in verse 29, and Jesus just as boldly corrects him. This emphatic statement that Peter will deny Jesus not only once, but three times, is punctuated with Mark’s final use of Jesus’ phrase, “I tell you the truth” in verse 30. It was certain to happen.

The declaration of Peter’s affirmation of loyalty in verse 31 makes his failure all the greater. The fact that scripture portrays its main characters with such honest and unflattering examples is one indication of the Bible’s trustworthiness. In addition, the Bible affirms that positive results can come from negative experiences, so the utter failure of Peter should encourage us followers of Jesus today who fail in similar ways.

Another way of stating verse 34 without changing the meaning of the text might be, “Fear and dismay came over Him.” Jesus knows what it would mean to be forsaken by God, and He is seeking prayer support from His closest friends. The observation that Jesus “fell to the ground” indicates a spirit of desperation from His humanity.

In praying that “the hour might pass from Him” in verse 35, Jesus is not regretting what He had come to earth to do. But in His humanity, He seeks another way to get the job done. When there is none, He leaves everything in the hands of His Father in verse 36:( Yet “not what I will, but what You will”.) Jesus’ use of “Abba” in addressing God is unique in Judaism and shows His eternal relationship to the Father.

The disciples, as usual, are lost as to what is really going on. When Jesus checks on them, they were just sleeping off a good meal as far as they were concerned. The reason Peter (and all the others) will soon let Jesus down is that they are sleeping while Jesus is preparing His Spirit and His flesh to obey God. Even after Jesus specifically asks them to pray with Him, they fall asleep a second time … and even a third time in verses 37–41. By then, the hour has come—in a literal sense. The time is here for Jesus to be betrayed and put in the hands of sinful men.

Even as Jesus is waking Peter, James, and John for the third time, Judas appears with an armed crowd. Judas knows Jesus’ specific plans and has arranged for Jesus’ enemies to arrest Him when there won’t be much of a crowd around Him. Using a kiss as a sign—the way someone would greet a close friend—shows the ugliness of the betrayal in verses 44 and 45.

We know from John’s account of this story that the disciple with the sword in verse 47 is Peter. He makes a futile effort to defend Jesus, but Peter’s a fisherman, not a soldier.

Jesus heals the damage Peter has done to the servant’s ear as recorded in Luke 22:51 (“51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.”) and then He addresses the mob in verses 48 and 49. His comments point out the wickedness and the deception of His enemies. It is safe to speculate that the guards and weapons were not present as protection against Jesus, but because the religious leaders were afraid of His followers. Yet being so outnumbered, Jesus’ disciples “all forsook him, and fled” in verse 50.

Peter has even run away, yet he trails the crowd and follows Jesus all the way into the courtyard of the high priest. He couldn’t witness the trial, but it wasn’t going very well from the perspective of the religious leaders.

Read Mark 14:60–62

Verse 60-62 reads (“And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”)

They have made an arrest, but have no evidence to formally charge Jesus. The trial should have been public, but they are trying to get it done under the cover of darkness. Before imposing a death penalty, Jewish law required the agreement of two (if not three) witnesses, but no two people will agree as verse 56 tells us. (“56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.”) The religious leaders’ scheme is backfiring, so Jesus has no need to speak. His silence during this period fulfills prophecies such as Psalm 38:13–14 (“13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. 14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response.”) and Isaiah 53:7 (“7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.”)

Finally in verse 61, the high priest asks Jesus directly, Are you “the Son of the Blessed One?” The question is phrased this way because the Jews did not like to speak the name of God, to keep from accidentally profaning it. But Jesus knows what he means, and gives a direct and detailed response in verse 62 which references the Old Testament prophecies of Psalm 110:1 (“1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”) and Daniel 7:13–14 (“13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.”)

After so much secrecy about His identity to this point, His openness seems quite surprising. But He is leaving no doubt—neither for His accusers nor His followers. Not only is He the Son of God, but He is also going back to His Father and will return to earth one day in all His power.

That’s all the high priest needed to hear. Tearing one’s clothes in verse 63 was usually a dramatic symbol of grief or alarm; in this case however, it was an act of expressing anger. By claiming to sit at God’s right hand, predicting a return from heaven, and using the divine name “I am,” Jesus is clearly claiming to be God. He is accused of blasphemy and “condemned … as deserving death” in verse 64.

Under Roman rule, the Jewish leaders could sentence someone to death, but they couldn’t execute him. That was left to the Romans, which is why Jesus was sent on to Pilate after His trial before the Sanhedrin.

Meanwhile, Peter waits in the courtyard. ( I’m not going to read this text because I’m sure you all are familiar with Peter’s denial.) He is trying to remain anonymous, but to his credit, he has at least tried to stay close to Jesus. A servant girl thinks she recognizes him as a member of Jesus’ group, but Peter denies it. Later she asks him again, this time including “those standing around” in verse 69. Peter responds with a second denial. But by then he is attracting attention. A group (presumably including men) tries to get him to admit an association with Jesus. This time Peter begins “to call down curses on himself” in verse 71, and swears he doesn’t know Jesus. As soon as the words leave his mouth, a rooster crows a second time and Peter recalls Jesus’ words that he would deny Him three times.

In response, Peter “broke down and wept” in verse 72. His great denial is recorded in all four Gospels. There is no attempted cover-up of the fact that the man who openly confessed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God at Caesarea, later denies Him three times.

Peter thought that he could follow Jesus everywhere in the power of the flesh—he failed to understand that following Jesus must be done in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. In your life have you ever sought to follow and serve God in the power of your flesh? What was the outcome of that? Have you ever served God in a spirit of dependence upon the power and strength of the Holy Spirit of God? What was that like? An entirely different result I would imagine. How do you depend upon the Holy Spirit in your life today—what are the results normally when you do utilize the supernatural, limitless power, of the Holy Spirit?

Lets pray together !

We’ll stop here tonight and continue next week with Mark’s account of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The final chapter of the Easter story.

But for now as Kristi and Eloise are getting us ready to sing our last hymn tonight, and as we’re asking ourselves that last question, how do we depend on the Holy Spirit in our lives, and if you’ve never honored God before by asking His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come into your heart and be your personal Lord and savior, this would be the perfect time to do just that. God has made that so easy for us to do. The Bible says that anyone, and I do mean anyone, who calls on the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED. It doesn’t matter what your past might look like. Remember the apostle Paul, before the Lord saved him on that road to Damascus, how he persecuted the church, and had the Lord’s people put in prison and even executed. And remember King David who commited adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle. Those two “Great men of God” commited terrible sins, and the Lord forgave them, and even chose them to do great things for Him. The Lord doesn’t care about our past, He just cares about our future. And He wants everyone to spend that future with Him in eternity, in that place He calls heaven. Don’t wait another second. If you have any doubt at all about your eternal security, or what’s going to happen to you when you die physically, I beg you to get it settled right now. Don’t wait another second. Get it taken care of right this minute, right here,--- just quietly, with your eyes closed, heads bowed, and your heart’s toward God, just pray a little prayer like this..............Just pray......

Please, as we’re singing our last hymn, if you need to, just pray that little prayer I mentioned as we sing. And God will save you !!