Passover Meal Timeline

Passover Preparation

In Mark 14:12-16 we have Jesus giving the Disciples instructions about the Preparation of Passover which they trust and obey.

It is another instance of Jesus prophetic power to know what is to come.

Then they have the Passover mean in Mark 14:17-31.

And a couple of important things happen here:

Jesus’ Predictions and the Passover Meal

That one of them would deliver him over to the religious leaders

That one of them would disown Him

That all of them would desert him.

Betrayal

Mark 14:17–21 (CSB)

17 When evening came, he arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”

he basically calls out Judas to his face.

He says “Judas, I know what you are about to do”

This probably only further infuriated Judas.

Matthew 26:25 CSB

25 Judas, his betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” “You have said it,” he told him.

John 13:2 CSB

2 Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him.

Jesus washes their feet (before dinner)

Perhaps this further infuriated Judas

How could a King/Leader do such a menial/degrading task

John 13:16–19 (CSB)

16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me.

John Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (13:18–30)

To “eat bread” is a cultural symbol that refers to personal intimacy, and to expose the bottom of the foot is another symbol of personal contempt. Jesus possesses divine wisdom into these events and yet experiences bewildering dismay as they unfold.

19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he.

Then the Lord’s Supper.

Mark 14:17–18 CSB

17 When evening came, he arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

John 13:21–23 CSB

21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus.

Mark 14:19–21 CSB

19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”

John 13:23–26 (CSB)

23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

John Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (13:18–30)

The Beloved Disciple enjoys a place of honor, seated on Jesus’ right (cf. Mark 10:37, where James and John want to sit on Jesus’ left and right in glory). This explains why he can easily lean back and place his head near Jesus’ chest and speak to him privately, asking Jesus to divulge the name of the betrayer (13:24). Peter is not as near and so must call to the Beloved Disciple (13:23). Judas likewise has a place of honor near Jesus (on his left?) because Jesus is able to dip some bread into a common dish and serve the morsel to him (13:26).

26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.

John Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (13:18–30)

Meals were eaten with flat baked bread, and a broken portion of this bread was then dipped into common bowls on the table. Jesus says that the betrayer is the one to whom he provides some dipped bread (13:26), and then he promptly serves Judas (13:27). To serve someone a morsel from the table like this was not unusual (see Ruth 2:14), and the disciples could have taken it as a simple honoring gesture for Judas. If so, it is particularly ironic since this gesture of respect is the last thing Jesus can do for Judas, and it compares with Judas’s last gesture of betrayal in the garden (18:3–11).

Mark 14:22–25 CSB

22 As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

John 13:26–30 (CSB)

26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

28 None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.

John Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (13:18–30)

Even though the disciples seem unaware of what is happening (13:28) and speculate that Judas is leaving to purchase things for the feast, the story implies that John understood everything. He had been given the key to the morsel, and he sees the consequences of the gift.

Perhaps Judas after participating in the Lord’s supper goes to betray Jesus

Luke 22:19–23 (CSB)

19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me. 22 For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

23 So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.

Jesus permits Satan do do his work

Judas is lost.

Point: Jesus is in control. He says to Pilot, all authority comes from above. Nothing happens to Jesus that he does not permit.

This is a great reassurance.

App: If Jesus allowed great evil to happen to Him in the hope of redemption, then we too can have great hope in the evil we have experienced.

Where do you need the assurance of Christ’s suffering for the sake of redemption?

All will Desert me

Mark 14:27–31 (CSB)

27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away, because it is written:

I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. (Zech 13:7)

Zechariah 13:7 CSB

7 Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate— this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

Peter’s Denial

29 Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away, I will not.”

30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

31 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same thing.

Jesus knows Peter, even in his stubbornness he is still a true follower of Jesus

for though he fails, he will turn back.

Luke 22:31–34 (CSB)

31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you (pl) like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you (sg) that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33 “Lord,” he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

34 “I tell you, Peter,” he said, “the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”

Point: Sometimes we think more highly of ourself than we ought.

We need to heed Jesus’ words rather than our own.

App: Where might you be thinking more highly of yourself than you ought? Where might you need to heed the words of Jesus than your own?

All will abandon

The last thing he predicts is that they will all abandoned him / desert him.

Mark 14:27 CSB

27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away, because it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

Which is exactly what happens

They go to the garden and Jesus cries out to their father

Judas shows up with the Romans and they arrest Jesus.

Then,

Mark 14:50 CSB

50 Then they all deserted him and ran away.

John 13:19 CSB

19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he.