Sermon Tone Analysis

Bible Reading

Introduction

In the previous passage that we looked at from Mark’s Gospel, we saw how Jesus was anointed by a woman named Mary, as she poured out an extremely expensive jar of perfume over the head of Christ.

In the previous section, we saw how Jesus was anointed by a woman named Mary, as she poured out an extremely expensive jar of perfume.

While there may have been a sense in which this was an anointing of Christ as King - as a recognition that Christ is the Messiah, Christ specifically states that this woman anointed him in order to prepare him for his burial ().

Tied in to that account of the woman pouring perfume over Jesus, was the record of a particular disciple who was highly disgusted that such an expensive perfume was wasted by being poured out over Jesus.

That particular disciple was Judas Iscariot.

In verse 10-11 of that account, we find Judas going out to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus, and they were delighted.

It is with that fresh in the minds of the reader, that Mark then begins to record this account of the celebration of the Passover meal that the disciples share in.

I want to pause and remind you of the significance of this meal in which they were to partake.

As you may recall, the Passover meal was a meal that was held in order to remind the Jews of what God had done for them in sparing them from the destroying angel, and then delivering them from captivity in Egypt.

The Passover Meal was instituted by God at the time that the Israelites were freed out of the bondage of slavery under the Egyptians.

Now recall, this was the time for the celebration of the Passover Meal.

Death to the firstborn of every household was going to be the final plague that God brought on the Egyptians due to Pharaohs refusal to let God’s people go.

The only way to escape God’s judgment, was to slaughter a lamb in the prescribed way, and put the blood of that lamb onto the doorposts.

I.1.

The Significance of the Passover itself

If this was done, then the angel bringing death would pass over that house, and would spare those in the house from death.

The disciples were of the view that they would simply be celebrating a meal that they had celebrated every year of their lives, with little difference at all.

Now that is significant.

I.2.

The Significance of Dining Together

But in the text that we come to this morning, we find an extremely important transition that is going to take place as Jesus partakes in this Passover meal with the disciples.

What essentially formed a part of the Old Covenant with Israel (in the Passover Feast) would now be reoriented to form an integral part of a New Covenant in Christ, in the form of the Lord’s Supper.

And so this is significant.

My hope this morning is that we would truly come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Lord’s Supper and its significance for us as the church today.

3 Headings today:

The Preparations for the Passover Meal

The Betrayer at the Passover Meal

The Greater Reality of the Passover Meal

1.

The Preparations for the Passover Meal

In verse 12, we read...

As we move into this text, we must recognise firstly the

You will recall that the Jewish people from all the surrounding areas had traveled to Jerusalem with the main purpose of celebrating the Passover meal together.

This Passover feast was an annual celebration and reminder to the Jewish people, instituted by God, celebrating and reminding the Jews of how God had delivered them out of bondage in Egypt.

And this day had finally arrived.

It was the morning of the 14th day of Nisan - which is the first calendar month on the Jewish calendar.

This corresponds to our March / April.

These events that unfold are unfolding on the Thursday - the day before when Christ himself would be crucified.

The disciples in this case now ask Jesus where it is that he wants them to make preparations in order for Him to eat the Passover.

This question from them acknowledges that He was the host, and they were His servants.

With this question posed, Jesus gives them instructions as to where they will make these preparations.

Mark 14:13

According to verse 13, he gives the instructions to two of his disciples, who in fact Peter and John (according to )

The instruction is given

The first thing that he tells them in verse 13 is that they are to go into the city.

The city that is spoken of here is Jerusalem, meaning that at the time he says this, they were somewhere outside of Jerusalem (probably in Bethany, where they were staying).

The Passover meal was only allowed to be celebrated within the walls of the city of Jerusalem.

And he then explains what will happen when they get there.

The instructions given are in one sense very definite, and yet in another sense very indefinite.

They will find something / someone specific, and yet the name of the person is completely hidden.

Compare this with …(instructions given to Ananias)...

that when they get there, they will be met by a man who is carrying a jar of water.

But in this case, the details are concealed, and yet would unfold precisely how Christ had described them (similar to what had unfolded when Jesus told his disciples to go into Jerusalem and fetch the donkey for him to make his entrance into Jerusalem)

Christ is all-knowing!!! Certainly the disciples would have been seeing this more and more as they followed his instructions.

Jesus tells his disciples that when they get there, they will be met by a man who is carrying a jar of water.

What makes this somewhat distinguishing was that it was far more common for the women of the day to carry water jars, rather than men.

This man, says Jesus, will meet you, and you are to follow him.

Jesus then says in that when they follow this man, he will come to a house, and they are to say to the owner of that house “The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”

It is interesting to note that Christ calls this “His” Guest room.

Furthermore, in verse 12 of this passage, when the disciples asked Christ where they should prepare for the meal, they asked Him: “where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover.

This particular Passover meal, although in one sense a regular Passover meal, was having its focus driven towards the true Passover Lamb!

This was Christ’s Passover meal!

Christ goes on to explain to Peter and John that this owner of the house, without asking questions, will take them and show them a large upper room in the house, and that they are to make preparations there for them all to eat as a group.

If you were a home-owner in Jerusalem in that day, then you were obligated to make your home available to such travelers at the time of the Passover in order that they may celebrate the Passover meal.

It was furthermore a rule that such space for the celebration of the Passover meal should be given free of charge for those who wished to use it.

In this instance, it would be a room that was relatively private, and

Very possibly, the owner of the home was someone who knew Jesus, was probably a disciple of Jesus.

Recall that these two disciples were to say that “The Teacher” asks - this owner must have had some realisation that “The Teacher” was Jesus.

In verse 16, we read that the disciples then went away, and found everything exactly as Jesus had described to them, and they then proceed to make preparations for this meal that is to be eaten.

2. The Betrayer at the Passover Meal

With this, we find in verse 17 that Jesus arrives at the house on that evening, along with his 12 disciples, and they being to celebrate this Passover Feast together.

But the Passover meal on this particular occasion would be overshadowed by a stunning pronouncement by Jesus.

It was a pronouncement of Jesus would shake all of his disciples to their core!!

In verse 18 we read:

For us in our day, we may read these words, and think that they were quite matter-of-fact.

But for a Jewish person, and for those eating with Jesus, these words would be significant!

Table fellowship for Jews had more significance than merely a social gathering.

It was evidence of peace, trust, forgiveness, and brotherhood.

The meal in which they were partaking was an act and show of unity among those who ate together.

It would be unthinkable that someone that ate with you, and dipped their own hand into the bowl that you dipped yours, would then betray you.

In the prophetic words of we read:

It was evidence of peace, trust, forgiveness, and brotherhood.

In the prophetic words of we read:

Psalm

What makes this announcement all the more striking for the disciples is that each and every one of them had been seemingly faithfully following Jesus, having forsaken all, for the past 2-3 years.

Who on earth out of them would dare to betray Jesus after having given such faithful commitment to Him?!

This pronouncement by Christ thus rightly has a profound impact on his disciples who were sharing this meal with him.

This pronouncement by Christ would rightly have a profound impact on his disciples who were sharing this meal with him.

Christ does not in this instance reveal the specific person who will betray him.

The response from the disciples is recorded in verse 19...

The word saddened really means “distressed”.

It carries the idea of being sorrowful.

There was sadness and concern, and one by one, each of them asks “Surely not I?”

Of course, eleven disciples were asking that question with genuine concern.

They were doing some serious introspection.

Of course, eleven disciples were asking that question with genuine concern.

One of them, on the other hand, asked this question “surely not I?” in order to conceal his intent.

But Christ goes on to confirm to them in verse 20:

What a somber moment this would have been for the disciples.