Mark 14:43-15:20

Introduction

Think you all went through Mark 13 last week

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

Mark 14:43–50 KJV

43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. 45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. 46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him. 47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. 50 And they all forsook him, and fled.

We rightfully understand how wicked Judas was in the betrayal, but we should also be careful

Mark 14:10–11 “10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.”

So Judas comes with a good size group of men from the sanhedrin (chief priests, scribes, and elders are the 3 groups) and also likely a good number from the Roman garrison. In my head when i read in the past was this little group of armed men maybe 20-30 in the woods. John tells us this was a “band” or cohort (John 18:3 “3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” ) that would have been 600 men. Don’t know if it was that, but more than 20 or 30. Small enough to not raise a ruckus at the passover festival but large enough to “lead him away safely”

Token in 44 “an earlier agreed upon sign”; the kiss and greeting him with the double greeting “Rabbi”. The mocking of Jesus we’ll see from this point on started here.

They take him and in the process the sword incident happens. Mark leaves him anonymous but we learn in Luke 22 Peter likely carried one of the two swords mentioned. John 18:10 specifically tells us Peter; food for thought why Mark left him anonymous.

Mark 14:51–52 KJV

51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

Speaking of anonymous, we have “the streaker”. Not told who, but was likely one that fairly wealthy (linen under the tunic), and lived in Jerusalem (only the linen got “dressed” in a hurry). We’re not told but could have been Mark himself.

When we read Marks attempts to be anonymous, we should be reminded that the picture we paint in our minds of the disciples, they were men too. Mark’s trying to write true but “nice” about the Roman involvement, remember, he has to live there and the persecution is just now getting started. Commonly thought Mark was Peter’s “secretary” so he was trying to be “nice to his boss”. We want our walk to be on display like a biblical diamond shining brilliantly in the light. In reality, if we can just keep following Jesus one step at a time, one foot in front of another, getting back up when we fall, taking our spankings and asking forgiveness when we should. We will Philippians 3:14 “14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

A side benefit of these two being anonymous in Mark should be to keep us humble. Reminding us that it would just as easily have been us, from the betrayal to the Sanhedrin all the way to denying him in the courtyard.

Jesus Before His Accusers

Mark 14:53–65 KJV

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

I won’t give a lot of detail here but everything about this “trial” is a mockery of Jewish law. I couldn’t find a single thing the Sanhedrin did here that actually followed their own law in the Mishna.

They aren’t looking for the truth (55) they are looking to railroad him with false testimony to get a conviction and death sentence.

Jesus is silent throughout, no need to respond to lies

Finally in frustration the high priest just asks Jesus

Mark 14:60–62 “60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus is conflating (joining):

Psalm 110:1 “1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Daniel 7:13 “13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.”

The high priest tears his clothes because this is Jesus equating himself with God (we see it maybe 30-40 years later when John writes John 14:9 “9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

Ironically, the Jewish law said you actually had to curse God to commit blasphemy

Mark 14:65 “65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.”

the mocking of Jesus continues

We saw the start of Peter’s issues as he follows “afar off” up in verse 53.

Peter’s Denials

Mark 14:66–72 KJV

66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

As the trial of Jesus takes place upstairs, the trial of Peter takes place down here in the courtyard.

We are always hard on Peter for the denial, but he’s not alone James and John fell asleep in the Garden 3 times too

Jesus Before Pilate

Mark 15:1–5 KJV

1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

More details given in the other Gospels

Mark 15:6–15 KJV

6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Pilate wasn’t guiltless but I also got my view of him adjusted

As I teach and the Lord teaches me, it’s keeps being the scale of the story that gets changed in my mind

I picture this as Pilate and Jesus by some columns with 5-600 people standing in front of them.

Knowing Pilate is the Roman prefect with all the military power of Rome behind him, why don’t he just tell them “nope, this guy’s innocent, you people are wicked, buzz off, he’s going free”

I get a clue in Matthew 27:23–25 “23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.”

I learned this week that Jerusalem was normally a city with a population of 20-50k people; During the passover festival as Jews came from all over to take part, the population of Jerusalem could grow to over 300k people

For context imagine starting yesterday people began to show up here in Greeneville (Greeneville population around 16k and Greene County around 70k)

By Wed afternoon every person from Knoxville (population around 198k) and Johnson City (population around 75k) are here

Pilate still acted wickedly and was judged by God for his part in the crucifixion, but no wonder he worried about a riot!

Conclusion

Remember Jesus in Mark 10:33–34 “33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

The tragedy/blessing of Jesus crucifixion, burial, and resurrection finally comes to pass by the end of Chapter 15

Mark 14 tempts us to puff out our chest and think how much “better than” Judas and Peter we are; how holy we are. “We would never do these things”

But the other 10 weren’t any better:

Not only did James and John fall asleep in the garden but remember this

Mark 14:23 “23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.” and

Mark 14:31 “31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.” yet

Mark 14:50 “50 And they all forsook him, and fled.”

I don’t continue to hammer us on how many times we are prone to fall and fail so we get to the point we see we are miserable and throw up our hands and quit. This is a “humanity after the fall” thing.

Judah and Israel did it at their judgement and in Mark 14 we see the prophesy of Amos come to pass:

Amos 2:14–16 “14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: 15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. 16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.”

And we are no better than Judah, Israel, or the 12:

Romans 3:9–12 “9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

What all this needs to do is help us be like John the Baptist:

John 3:30–31 “30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

WHEN we mess up; WHEN we are cowards; WHEN we see what Isaiah says Isaiah 64:6 “6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

THEN we know Romans 5:20–21 “20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”