Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread Was Two Days Off; and the Chief Priests and The

GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

Commentary: 14:1 The Jewish leaders plotted secretly to Mark tells us about Jesus’ ultimate deed of kill Jesus—his murder was carefully servanthood—dying for us on the cross. planned. The murder plot was not being Jesus died for our sin so we wouldn’t have planned because popular opinion had turned to. Now we can have eternal fellowship with against Jesus. In fact, the leaders were God instead of eternal suffering and death. afraid of Jesus’ popularity. When first written in Rome, this Gospel was encouraging to Roman Christians during TODAY IN THE WORD times of persecution. Christ’s victory through In 1920, Gladys Aylward sailed for China suffering can encourage us during difficult from her home in Great Britain. Once there she took in children who had been orphaned times too. and were left either to starve or to be placed in government orphanages that were similar 14:1 Now the Passover and the Feast of to warehouses. This godly woman gave Unleavened Bread were only two these children a home, and years later when days away, and the chief priests and the Japanese army invaded China, she had the teachers of the law were looking to flee with 100 of the children. Gladys for some sly way to arrest Jesus and Aylward’s selfless service for Christ was so kill him. remarkable that it became the subject of a Now the Passover and book, The Simple Woman, and a film titled Unleavened Bread was two days The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. ordinary off; and the chief priests and the person. But she did one thing extremely scribes were seeking how to well: she loved Jesus with a devotion that seize Him by stealth, and kill Him; few others ever showed. And Jesus Himself After two days was the feast of the guaranteed that the story of Mary devotion Passover, and of unleavened bread: would be preserved for every generation of and the chief priests and the scribes believers to read and imitate. sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. Just In Time With Passover Blood The rabbis have a legend that on that 14:1 The Passover commemorated the night Passover night when the Israelites were the Israelites were freed from Egypt (Exodus awaiting a signal for their departure, there 12), when God “passed over” homes was in one of the Jewish homes a sick girl, marked by the blood of a lamb while killing who asked her father repeatedly if the blood firstborn sons in unmarked homes. The day had been sprinkled on the lintel of the door. of Passover was followed by a seven-day Not satisfied with his repeated assurances festival called the Feast of Unleavened that the servant had properly attended to it, Bread. This, too, recalled the Israelites’ she begged him for her sake to go and see. quick escape from Egypt when they didn’t He went outside the door and looked and no have time to let their bread rise, so they blood was there. He made haste to bring the baked it without yeast. This holiday found basin with the hyssop branch and had just people gathering for a special meal that sprinkled the lintel when a shadow fell over included lamb, wine, bitter herbs, and him; he looked upward, and lo! the unleavened bread. Eventually the whole destroying angel was passing by! (Exodus week came to be called Passover. 11:4; Exodus 12:23)

1 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

C. H. Spurgeon And being in Bethany in the house A well-known person. There were plenty of of Simon the leper, as he sat at Simons, and so they had to put another meat, there came a woman having name to distinguish him. You remember an alabaster box of ointment of Simon the Pharisee, in whose house Christ spikenard very precious; and she was anointed by a woman, who washed his brake the box, and poured it on his feet with tears. This is another Simon. Not head. Simon the Pharisee, but Simon the Leper. 14:3 Bethany is located on the eastern slope A healed man, no doubt, or he could not of the Mount of Olives (Jerusalem is on the have entertained guests. There can be no western side). This town was the home of question by whom he was healed; for there Jesus’ friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, was nobody else that could heal leprosy, who were also present at this dinner (John except our Divine Lord. “And being at 11:2). The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper.” was Mary, Lazarus’s and Martha’s sister (John 12:1-3). An alabaster jar was a 14:2 "But not during the Feast," they said, beautiful and expensive carved vase. Nard "or the people may riot." was expensive perfume. for they were saying, "Not during the festival, lest there be a riot of 14:3-9 Matthew and Mark placed this event the people." just before the Last Supper, while John But they said, Not on the feast day, placed it a week earlier, just before the lest there be an uproar of the Triumphal Entry. It must be remembered that people. the main purpose of the Gospel writers was not to present an exact chronological Rich To Feast, Poor To Fast account of Christ’s life, but to give an A Rev. Sydney Smith said: "I believe my accurate record of his message. Matthew congregation to be the most exemplary and Mark may have chosen to place this observers of the religious ordinances; for the event here to contrast the complete devotion poor keep all the fasts, and the rich keep all of Mary with the betrayal of Judas, the next the feasts." event in both Gospels.

14:3 While he was in Bethany, reclining C. H. Spurgeon at the table in the home of a man It does not want any “it,” “poured on his known as Simon the Leper, a head.” The liquid nard flowed over his locks, woman came with an alabaster jar and, as it was with Aaron, it went, doubtless, of very expensive perfume, made of down his beard to the utmost skirts of his pure nard. She broke the jar and garments. poured the perfume on his head. And while He was in Bethany at What Are You Looking For? the home of Simon the leper, and A woman came having an alabaster flask of reclining at the table, there came very costly oil. --Mark 14:3 a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; "Stop! There's a good pair of shoes! Slow and she broke the vial and poured down, you just passed a hammer! Look at it over His head. that jacket in the ditch!" As the car was 2 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 speeding down the highway at 70 miles an 16:14; Neh. 3:8; Eccles. 10:1). Perfumes hour, these were the exclamations of a mentioned in the Bible include: aloes, hitchhiker to the driver who had just picked balsam (or balm), bdellium, calamus (or him up. After several hours of similar sweet or fragment cane), camel's thorn, comments, the driver reached two cinnamon (or cassia), frankincense, conclusions: galbanum, gum, henna, myrrh, nard (or spikenard), onycha, saffron, and stacte. 1. The hitchhiker's life consisted mainly of things he found by the side of the road. Simon the Leper Mark and John also record this anointing of 2. All of us see what we're looking for. As we Jesus. John says it actually took place six go through life, the focus of our eyes reveals days before the Passover (John 12:1). the desire of our hearts. Matthew, as pointed out before, arranges During the week before Jesus was crucified, events by subjects. He is discussing the the chief priests and scribes were looking for death of Christ, so He places it here. John any excuse to arrest and kill Him (Mark also identifies the woman as Mary, the sister 14:1). Judas was looking for a convenient of Lazarus and Martha. Matthew says that way to betray Jesus (v.11). A woman whom they were in the house of Simon the leper, we know to be Mary of Bethany was looking and John says Martha served (John 12:2). for a way to show her love to the Lord (John Apparently Simon the leper was the 12:1-3). And they all found the opportunities husband of Martha (although others feel that they were seeking. he could be her father or father-in-law) (Matthew 26:6; cp. John 12:2). Our Bible reading today calls us to focus on Christ and His great passion that caused 14:4 Some of those present were saying Him to die for our sins. Like Mary, may we indignantly to one another, "Why this have hearts that are always looking for waste of perfume? opportunities to say to our Savior, "I love But some were indignantly You." remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted? We can love Jesus too little, And there were some that had but we can never love Him too much. indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the Head of Christ: ointment made? Unrested head in life Anointed head in gratitude 14:4-5 Where Mark says “some of those Thorn-crowned head in suffering present,” John specifically mentions Judas Bowed head in atoning love (John 12:4-5). Judas’s indignation over Uncovered head in resurrection Mary’s act of worship was based not on Beautiful head in revelation concern for the poor but on greed. Because Crowned head in victory Judas was the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry and had embezzled funds (John 12:6), he PERFUME no doubt wanted the perfume sold so that Modern translation of a word translated as the proceeds could be put into his care. apothecary by the KJV (Exodus 30:25; Exodus 30:35; Exodus 37:29; 2 Chron C. H. Spurgeon 3 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

Matthew says that they were disciples. Salaries Of Federal Officials (1990’s) Shame upon them. The ointment was put to In case anyone is interested: its proper use. It was more wasted when it  The U.S. President gets $200,000 a was in the box than when it was out of it, for year it was doing nothing inside the alabaster  The Vice President gets $75,000 a box. But when it came out, it was answering year its purpose. It was perfuming all round  Cabinet member gets $66,000 a about. “Why was this waste of the ointment year made?”  Supreme Court justices get $72,000  Congress' top leaders get $65,000  Senators and Representatives When lives are lost in Christ’s honor, or $57,500 strength is spent in his service there is no  Former presidents Ford collects waste. It is what life and strength are made presidential pensions totaling for — that they may be spent for him. $104,000, and Nixon $85,000.

Medieval Aristocrats No Need Bath 14:6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why Among the medieval landed classes, the are you bothering her? She has lack of a need to bathe was considered a done a beautiful thing to me. sign of wealth and leisure. Many an But Jesus said, "Let her alone; aristocrat bragged of never having taken a why do you bother her? She has bath. Consequently, the demand for perfume done a good deed to Me. and aromatic oils was very high, and the And Jesus said, Let her alone; why need for spices helped spur the explorations trouble ye her? she hath wrought a of the 15th century, leading to the discovery good work on me. of America. By the way, Queen Elizabeth of England reportedly bathed once a month 14:6-7 Jesus was not saying that we should "whether she need it or not." Because of the neglect the poor, nor was he justifying aristocracy's aversion to bathing, many of indifference to them. (For Jesus’ teaching the more famous palaces surviving today in about the poor, see Matthew 6:2-4; Luke Europe are found to be without sanitation 6:20-21; Luke 14:13, 21; Luke 18:22.) Jesus facilities. was praising Mary for her unselfish act of 14:5 It could have been sold for more worship. The essence of worshipping Christ than a year's wages and the money is to regard him with utmost love, respect, given to the poor." And they rebuked and devotion and to be willing to sacrifice to her harshly. him what is most precious. "For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to Oswald Chambers the poor." And they were scolding If what we call love doesn't take us beyond her. ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the For it might have been sold for more idea that love is characterized as cautious, than three hundred pence, and have wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to been given to the poor. And they extremes, we have missed the true murmured against her. meaning. This may describe affection and it

4 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a with you, and whenever you wish, true and accurate description of love. you can do them good; but you do not always have Me. Have you ever been driven to do something For ye have the poor with you for God not because you felt that it was always, and whensoever ye will ye useful or your duty to do so, or that there may do them good: but me ye have was anything in it for you, but simply not always. because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that C. H. Spurgeon are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting If you help them one day, they are poor, and around daydreaming about the greatness of they want helping the next. Or if you help His redemption, while neglecting all the them and leave them, leaving them because things you could be doing for Him? I'm not they go home to God, there are other poor referring to works which could be regarded people sure to come, for they will never as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, cease out of the land. “Ye have the poor with simple human things -- things which would you always.” be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created “ Ye can only do this for me during the few what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of days that I shall be with you. the Lord Jesus? "She has done a good work for Me." Within a week I shall be crucified. Forty There are times when it seems as if God more days I shall be gone from you. Me ye watches to see if we will give Him even have not always. small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be Lincoln On Helping Poor surrendered to God is of more value than You cannot strengthen the weak by our personal holiness. Concern over our weakening the strong. You cannot help the personal holiness causes us to focus our wage-earner by pulling down the wage- eyes on ourselves, and we become overly payer. You cannot help the poor by concerned about the way we walk and talk destroying the rich. You cannot help men and look, out of fear of offending God. ". . . permanently by doing for them what they but perfect love casts out fear . . ." once we could and should do for themselves. are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of any 14:8 She did what she could. She poured use?" and accept the truth that we really are perfume on my body beforehand to not of much use to Him. The issue is never prepare for my burial. of being of use, but of being of value to God "She has done what she could; Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to she has anointed My body God, He will work through us all the time. beforehand for the burial. She hath done what she could: she 14:7 The poor you will always have with is come aforehand to anoint my you, and you can help them any body to the burying. time you want. But you will not always have me. Do What You Can "For the poor you always have She has done what she could. --Mark 14:8 5 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

As Mary of Bethany gave her best to Jesus C. H. Spurgeon (Mk. 14:1-9), so each of us must give in our And it is so to this day. Christ’s gospel is own way the best we have to the Lord. Our preached to-night, and this woman’s love will efforts may not seem significant, but God be remembered. can use them for His glory. 14:9 I tell you the truth, wherever the D. L. Moody told the story of a man who was gospel is preached throughout the crossing the Atlantic by ship. He was terribly world, what she has done will also seasick and confined to his cabin. One night be told, in memory of her." he heard the cry "Man overboard!" But he "And truly I say to you, wherever felt that there was nothing he could do to the gospel is preached in the help. Then he said to himself, "I can at least whole world, that also which this put my lantern in the porthole." He struggled woman has done shall be spoken to his feet and hung the light so it would of in memory of her." shine out into the darkness. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached The next day he learned that the person throughout the whole world, this who was rescued said, "I was going down in also that she hath done shall be the dark night for the last time when spoken of for a memorial of her. someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat "About" Right Is Wrong grabbed it and pulled me in." There are only two ways: one is right and the other is wrong. "About" is always wrong. Everyone holding forth his own light, or Don't tell me it's about right. If it's only about using his one talent, no matter how small, right, then it's wrong. If you come to a will help accomplish God's purpose on this stream five feet wide and jump four-and-a- earth, and will thus glorify the Savior. What a half feet you fall in and get drowned. You joy it will be when the Master looks into your might just as well have tumbled in from the eyes in that future day and with a loving other side and saved yourself the exertion of smile of approval says, "Well done, good the jump. and faithful servant . . . . Enter into the joy of your Lord" (Mt. 25:21). 10% For Jesus If studies had been taken in the Roman Our lives are God's gift to us; Empire in 65 A.D. on religious preferences, what we do with them is our gift to God. they would have shown 51% for Jupiter, 30% for Zeus, about 9% for Mithra and A Superstition about 10% for Jesus. Some rabbis taught that it was necessary to be buried in the Holy Land in order to have a 14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the part in the resurrection which would precede Twelve, went to the chief priests to the Messiah's reign on earth. Some even betray Jesus to them. taught that the bodies of the righteous, no And Judas Iscariot, who was one matter where on earth they might have been of the twelve, went off to the chief buried, would roll back, underground, to priests, in order to betray Him to Israel and be raised. them. And Judas Iscariot, one of the 6 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

twelve, went unto the chief priests, from his birth, he killed a foster brother, fled to betray him unto them. to Judea, and became a page to Pontius Pilate. He commits many monstrous crimes, 14:10 Why would Judas want to betray is at length filled with contrition and terror, Jesus? Very likely, Judas expected Jesus to and flees to Christ for peace. (Matthew 27:3) start a political rebellion and overthrow Rome. As treasurer, Judas certainly 14:11 They were delighted to hear this and assumed (as did the other disciples—see promised to give him money. So he Mark 10:35-37) that he would be given an watched for an opportunity to hand important position in Jesus’ new him over. government. But when Jesus praised Mary And they were glad when they for pouring out the perfume, thought to be heard this, and promised to give worth a year’s salary, Judas finally began to him money. And he began realize that Jesus’ kingdom was not physical seeking how to betray Him at an or political, but spiritual. Judas’s greedy opportune time. desire for money and status could not be And when they heard it, they were fulfilled if he followed Jesus, so he betrayed glad, and promised to give him him in exchange for money and favor from money. And he sought how he might the religious leaders. conveniently betray him.

Of Judas Kiss And Judas Goat "Judas Iscariot!" When the Romans wanted to capture Jesus A minister riding a streetcar in New York and they paid one of his trusted followers to passing a very nice church, sat next to a betray him. Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus' rider who said, "If these Christians would disciples. The Romans arranged for a signal stop building fine churches and give their from Judas. He would identify Jesus by money to the poor, it would be much more to kissing him in the Garden of Gethsemane. In their credit." "I've heard of similar remarks return for this betrayal, Judas was paid thirty before," was the minister's quiet reply. "By pieces of silver. Judas is thus the symbol of whom?" "Judas Iscariot." betrayal and treason, and the "thirty pieces Open It of silver" has become another way of saying "blood money." An act of betrayal has come 01. When have you ever been criticized to be known as a "Judas kiss." Similarly, a for doing something good? "Judas goat" is the animal that leads a flock ______to the slaughter house. ______Legend of Judas ______Legend fills up the silence of the Gospels ______concerning Judas. He is said to have been a ______foredoomed wretch, whose mother received warning of what he would be in a dream 02. What do you think motivates parents before his birth. To avoid this, his parents to sacrifice for their children? enclosed him in a chest, and flung him into ______the sea. The sea cast him upon the shore in ______the domain of a king and queen, who ______adopted him as their own son. Malignant 7 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______while Jesus was visiting Bethany? ______Where? (14:3) ______03. What is one sacrifice you made for ______someone else? ______08. What reaction did the woman’s ______actions get? Why? (14:4-5) ______Explore It ______04. When and where did the events of this ______story take place? (14:1-3) ______09. What caused some people with Jesus ______to become indignant? (14:4-5) ______05. Why did the Jewish leaders not want ______to arrest Jesus during the Feast of ______Unleavened Bread? (14:2) ______10. What does this incident tell us about ______some people’s understanding of who ______Jesus was and why He had come? ______(14:4-6) ______06. What attitude did many of the ______common people have toward Jesus? ______(14:2) ______11. Whom did Jesus rebuke? Why? (14:6) ______07. What amazing thing did a woman do ______

12. How did Jesus evaluate the behavior 17. Why do you think the woman of the woman who poured out the sacrificed so much perfume? perfume? (14:6) ______18. How would you have reacted if you 13. What did Jesus predict? (14:9) had witnessed the woman pouring out ______a full year’s wages’ worth of perfume ______on someone’s head? ______14. What did Judas do? (14:10-11) ______19. In what way can a person betray ______Jesus? ______15. How did Judas betray Jesus? (14:10- ______11) ______20. What do you think might motivate a ______person to give up on Jesus, as Judas ______did? ______16. How did the chief priests react to ______Judas’s visit? Why? (14:10-11) ______21. When are Christians tempted to give ______up on their faith? ______Get It ______9 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______

22. For what reasons do people reject 27. How does Jesus want us to treat the Christ? poor? ______

23. What can we learn about values from 28. What tends to distract you from being the woman in this story? fully devoted to Christ? ______

24. How can we demonstrate our devotion 29. What kinds of sacrifices can a person to Christ? make for God? ______

25. How should we deal with the criticism 30. What sacrifice do you think God wants and scorn of unbelievers? you to make for the sake of the ______gospel? ______26. How should you respond when others rebuke or harshly criticize your Apply It actions? ______31. What is one way you can show your ______devotion to Christ above all other ______things, people, or ambitions in your ______life? When? ______10 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______14:13 So he sent two of his disciples, ______telling them, "Go into the city, and a ______man carrying a jar of water will meet ______you. Follow him. ______And He sent two of His disciples, ______and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you 32. What is one step you could take this carrying a pitcher of water; follow week toward helping the poor in a him; practical way? And he sendeth forth two of his ______disciples, and saith unto them, Go ______ye into the city, and there shall meet ______you a man bearing a pitcher of ______water: follow him. ______14:13 The two men Jesus sent were Peter and John (Luke 22:8). 14:12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was College Applicant Accepted As customary to sacrifice the Passover "Follower" lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, S.I. McMillen, in his book None of These "Where do you want us to go and Diseases, tells a story of a young woman make preparations for you to eat the who wanted to go to college, but her heart Passover?" sank when she read the question on the And on the first day of application blank that asked, "Are you a Unleavened Bread, when the leader?" Being both honest and Passover lamb was being conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned sacrificed, His disciples said to the application, expecting the worst. To her Him, "Where do You want us to surprise, she received this letter from the go and prepare for You to eat the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the Passover?" application forms reveals that this year our And the first day of unleavened college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are bread, when they killed the accepting you because we feel it is Passover, his disciples said unto imperative that they have at least one him, Where wilt thou that we go and follower." prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover? 14:14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is Righteousness "Lamb" Above "Me" my guest room, where I may eat the The Chinese character for "righteousness" is Passover with my disciples?' most interesting. It is composed of two and wherever he enters, say to separate characters one standing for a the owner of the house, 'The lamb, the other for me. And when "lamb" is Teacher says, "Where is My guest placed directly above "me," a new character room in which I may eat the "righteousness" is formed. Passover with My disciples?" ' And wheresoever he shall go in, say 11 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

ye to the goodman of the house, to hold a final meal with His disciples before The Master saith, Where is the His arrest (Mark 14:14-15). Jesus guestchamber, where I shall eat the commanded two of His followers to prepare Passover with my disciples? the room and the meal. Tradition holds that the disciples gathered in this room following 14:14-15 Many homes had large upstairs Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:13). More than a rooms, sometimes with stairways both inside century after Christ's ministry on earth the and outside the house. The preparations for room believed to be the one in which the the Passover would have included setting meal was eaten was made into a shrine and the table and buying and preparing the still is commemorated today. Passover lamb, unleavened bread, sauces, and other ceremonial food and drink. 14:16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had Jesus: Go Back To Jerusalem told them. So they prepared the The last word from Jesus was, "Go back! Go Passover. back to Jerusalem and tarry until ye be And the disciples went out, and endued with power from on high." (Luke came to the city, and found it just 24:49) But, Master, the world is dying! Let it as He had told them; and they die! But men are hungry! Let them be prepared the Passover. hungry! But hearts are breaking! Let them And his disciples went forth, and break! But multitudes are being lost! Let came into the city, and found as he them be lost rather than you attempt the had said unto them: and they made Divine work without the Divine power! Go ready the Passover. back, go back to that upper room, back to your knees, back to searching your own Last Supper's Deeper Meaning heart, back to waiting and back to praying, The ceremony itself was not original. There back until you have come to the condition of had long been a similar Syrian custom in heart and of life where your personal those days. When a man was to leave on a Pentecost shall come, and then go. Oh, then far journey, he gathered his friends together you will find that the works that Christ did for a last pledge of affection. He gave them you can do. Filled with the Spirit, miracles food with his own hands. It would be as his shall become the commonplace of your daily body to theirs in the time of absence. He experience. also gave them wine. It would be as the blood of his life to their lives while they were 14:15 He will show you a large upper parted. These things were to be a symbol of room, furnished and ready. Make the fact that they would always be together preparations for us there." even though separated. In the hands of "And he himself will show you a Jesus at the time of parting with His large upper room furnished and disciples, this simple ceremony took on a ready; and prepare for us there." deep meaning. The Lord's Supper was a And he will shew you a large upper living testimony of the continued Lordship of room furnished and prepared: there Christ and their means of victorious living in make ready for us. Christ. He was tying them and their successors to Himself forever. UPPER ROOM An upstairs room chosen by Jesus in which 14:17 When evening came, Jesus arrived 12 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

with the Twelve. Judas, if you had only doubted your doubts And when it was evening He enough to wait until Easter, until Pentecost, came with the twelve. until Paul came, you would not be the And in the evening he cometh with supreme traitor of the centuries. You stood the twelve. in the presence of divine greatness, and you disbelieved. Naming The Twelve Apostles Jesus called them one by one 14:19 They were saddened, and one by Peter, Andrew, James and John; one they said to him, "Surely not I?" Then came James, they call "The Less," They began to be grieved and to Simon, also Thaddeus say to Him one by one, "Surely . Next came Philip, Thomas, too, not I?" Matthew and Bartholomew. And they began to be sorrowful, and Twelve apostle Judas made, to say unto him one by one, Is it I? Jesus was by him betrayed. and another said, Is it I? Mrs. William L. Reed 14:19 Judas, the very man who would betray Jesus, was at the table with the 14:18 While they were reclining at the others. Judas had already determined to table eating, he said, "I tell you the betray Jesus, but in cold-blooded hypocrisy truth, one of you will betray me--one he shared the fellowship of this meal. It is who is eating with me." easy to become enraged or shocked by And as they were reclining at the what Judas did; yet professing commitment table and eating, Jesus said, to Christ and then denying him with one’s life "Truly I say to you that one of you is also betraying him. It is denying Christ’s will betray Me-- one who is eating love to disobey him; it is denying his truth to with Me." distrust him; it is denying his deity to reject And as they sat and did eat, Jesus his authority. Do your words and actions said, Verily I say unto you, One of match? If not, consider a change of mind you which eateth with me shall and heart that will protect you from making a betray me. terrible mistake.

If Judas Waited After Easter The Believing One: The older I grow the more I ponder Judas  Grounded in Scriptures Iscariot. He came so near to not betraying  Guarded by Prayer Jesus. He was a loyal disciple. It took  Graced by Love courage to join that little band, and Judas  Guided by the Spirit had it. Then doubts began. What kind of  Growth of Faith Messiah was this who refused violent  Goal of Faith revolution and talked about loving one's  Glory of Faith enemies? Was not this idealistic Jesus letting them down? So the doubts grew, until The Worst Bad Bargain in an explosive hour oh, 51 votes against A Sunday school teacher asked if any 49_Judas sold his Lord. He came near to scholar recollected an instance in Scripture not doing it, that when he saw what he had of anyone making a bad bargain. "I do," done, he hanged himself in shame. Ah, 13 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 replied a boy, "Esau made a bad bargain holding him back, frustrating his best efforts. when he sold his birthright for a mess of At length he came to the conclusion that the pottage." A second said, "Judas made a bad thing which was checking and frustrating bargain when he sold his Lord for thirty him was the fact that he had painted his pieces of silver." A third replied, "Ananias enemy into the face of Judas. He therefore and Saphira made a bad bargain when they painted out the face of Judas and sold their land and then told Peter a commenced anew on the face of Jesus, and falsehood about it." A fourth observed. "Our this time with the success which the ages Lord tells us that he makes a bad bargain have acclaimed. You cannot at one and the who, to gain the whole world, loses his own same time be painting the features of Christ soul." Children's Friend into your own life, and painting another face with the colors of enmity and hatred. 14:20 "It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl 14:21 The Son of Man will go just as it is with me. written about him. But woe to that And He said to them, "It is one of man who betrays the Son of Man! It the twelve, one who dips with Me would be better for him if he had not in the bowl. been born." And he answered and said unto "For the Son of Man is to go, just them, It is one of the twelve, that as it is written of Him; but woe to dippeth with me in the dish. that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been 14:20 It was often the practice to eat from a good for that man if he had not common bowl. Meat or bread was dipped been born." into a bowl filled with sauce often made from The Son of man indeed goeth, as it fruit. is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is Success On "The Last Supper" betrayed! good were it for that man Leonardo da Vinci was one of the if he had never been born. outstanding intellects of all history, for he was great as a draftsman, an engineer, and The Judas-Tree's Fatal Appeal a thinker. Just before he commenced work There is a curious tree known as the Judas- on his "Last Supper" he had a violent quarrel tree. Long before its leaves appear, with a fellow painter. So enraged and bitter gorgeous blossoms would ornament the was Leonardo that he determined to paint branches. Looking like scarlet sunbeams the face of his enemy, the other artist, into caught among the boughs, and held the face of Judas, and thus take his revenge prisoners by their interlacings, the brilliant and vent his spleen by handing the man beauty of the crimson flowers attracts down in infamy and scorn to succeeding thousands of tiny insects. The wild bees also generations. The face of Judas was seek to draw honey from their exquisitely therefore one of the first that he finished, shaped cups. But every insect bee or and everyone could easily recognize it as butterfly that ventures to rest upon the edge the face of the painter with whom he had of its blossom is overcome by a fatal, quarreled. But when he came to paint the curious sort of opiate, or sleeping-draught, face of Christ, he could make no progress. which the flower-juice contains, and drops Something seemed to be baffling him, dead upon the ground beneath! Thus, 14 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 walking around Judas-trees, one sees the food, but such bread as they had been soft grass strewn with dead and dying eating. “Blessed”; thanking God for it. “And bright-winged insects! The Judas-tree break it and gave it to them, and said, Take, reminds us of sin. Sin may look bright, eat: this is my body.” pleasant and attractive to our eyes; it may appear harmless to indulge in it. But lurking Luther, Zwingli Debate Lord's Supper behind "the pleasures of sin" is a fatal The controversy was long and bitter. Martin poison. Luther insisted on a real presence of the body and blood of the Lord. But Zwingli held 14:22 While they were eating, Jesus took the blood and body to be present only in bread, gave thanks and broke it, and emblems, and that the words, "This is my gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take body," were to be interpreted like those it; this is my body." similar words, "I am the door," "I am the And while they were eating, He vine," or that strikingly similar phrase used of took some bread, and after a the Paschal Lamb, "This is the Lord's blessing He broke it; and gave it Passover," where, Zwingli pointed out the to them, and said, "Take it; this is word "is" means represents. This word "is" My body." was the rock on which the Reformation split. And as they did eat, Jesus took Agreement being impossible, Zwingli turned bread, and blessed, and brake it, to Luther and said: "Martin Luther, let us and gave to them, and said, Take, confess our union in all things in which we eat: this is my body. agree, and, as for the rest, let us remember that we are brothers, with the same cause at 14:22-25 Mark records the origin of the heart. Lord’s Supper, also called Communion or Eucharist (thanksgiving), which is still While we all hold the grand doctrine of celebrated in worship services today. Jesus salvation by faith, we differ on minor points." and his disciples ate a meal, sang psalms, There was an anxious pause, waiting for read Scripture, and prayed. Then Jesus took Luther's response, and great tears rolled two traditional parts of the Passover meal, down Zwingli's face as he reached out the the passing of bread and the drinking of hand of brotherly love to Luther. But, alas! wine, and gave them new meaning as the great reformer of Saxony refused that representations of his body and blood. He outstretched hand, and the opportunity for a used the bread and wine to explain the new and mighty illustration of Augustine's significance of what he was about to do on motto, "In essentials unity, in nonessentials the cross. For more on the significance of liberty, in all things charity," was forever lost. the Last Supper, see 1 Cor. 11:23-29. The Swiss reformers and the German reformers parted in sadness, and even yet C. H. Spurgeon the breach is not healed. It was part of a meal. It was no celebration. It was no sacrifice, bloody or unbloody. It 14:23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks was simply a commemorative ceremony, of and offered it to them, and they all which he would now give them a specimen drank from it. even before it became commemorative. “As And when He had taken a cup, they did eat, Jesus took bread.” No seeking and given thanks, He gave it to for consecrated wafers or some special them; and they all drank from it. 15 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

And he took the cup, and when he fable of transubstantiation. Jesus Christ had given thanks, he gave it to means “This represents my body. This them: and they all drank of it. represents my blood” — the usual way of uttering such a sense both in the Old and Legend Of The Cup New Testament, even as Christ said, “I am The ancient legend of the Holy Grail tells the door.” Yet nobody thought that he was a how Joseph of Arimathea, who got door. “I am the way.” Nobody thought he was permission from Pilate to take the body of a roadway. “I am the shepherd,” and yet Jesus down from the cross and bury it, nobody supposed that he carried a crook, caught in a golden cup which Christ had and that he literally kept sheep. held at the Last Supper the blood which flowed from a wound in his side. This cup he So says he, “This is my body, this is my carried to Glastonbury, on an island in blood” and they who sat there were in their Somerset in England. There he formed an senses, and they were not superstitious. order of Knights whose work it was to They knew what he meant. protect the precious blood. The chief of these knights was made their king. At certain 14:24 "This is my blood of the covenant, times the king unveiled the golden cup that which is poured out for many," he held the precious blood, at which times a said to them. glorious and radiant light fell on the faces of And He said to them, "This is My all who stood about, filling them with rapture blood of the covenant, which is and enduing them with strength from on poured out for many. high. Only the pure in heart could look upon And he said unto them, This is my the cup and behold the wondrous light which blood of the new testament, which is streamed from the precious blood. (cf. shed for many. Matthew 26:27; Matthew 27:59) 14:24 Jesus’ death for us on the cross seals C. H. Spurgeon a new covenant between God and people. There was no fear of their making the The old covenant involved forgiveness of mistake, which had been made by sins through the blood of an animal sacrifice Humanists, of taking these words literally, (Exodus 24:6-8). But instead of a spotless because Jesus Christ was sitting there. They lamb on the altar, Jesus offered himself, the could not imagine that, as he took bread, he spotless Lamb of God, as a sacrifice that would say literally, “This bread is my body.” would forgive sin once and for all. Jesus was Why, there was his body sitting there before the final sacrifice for sins, and his blood them. Had he two bodies? When he gave sealed the new agreement between God them the cup and said, “This is my blood in and us. Now all of us can come to God the new covenant,” they never dreamt of through Jesus, in full confidence that God such a thing as that the wine in the cup was will hear us and save us from our sins. really and literally his blood. His blood was in his. They saw him living there, not Angelic Proposals For Salvation bleeding. No, it is an extraordinary I can imagine a great convocation in thing that men who have the life of God in heaven, when God announced to its them, and have some spiritual, have, inhabitants that man had fallen, that the new nevertheless, in some instances, been found creation was stained with sin. From every driving their faith into the belief of the absurd quarter of the universe, the great angels 16 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 come posting in, riding upon the wings of the speaks the Son: "Eternal Father, I will go wind, to hear the dread announcement by down. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I will the Almighty. When God asks for a remedy, take man's nature. By the power of the and calls for volunteers to go down to earth Eternal Spirit, I will offer myself on the cross and deliver man from the curse of sin, one and shed Immanuel's precious blood. My great angel comes forward and says: blood will cleanse man from his sin!"

"I will go down to earth. I will live a life of And all the host of heaven rejoiced at that peace and truth and purity and love before saying, and cried together with a voice like man. Thus I will win his soul to the good. the sound of many waters: "Eternal Son, go Thus, I shall take away the stain of his sin." down! Thou only canst redeem man! Thy But God answers him: "Thy way of life is blood alone will cleanse him from his sin." good, but it will not turn man from his sin. Neither can it take away the stain of sin." 14:25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that Then another angel comes forward, and day when I drink it anew in the says: "I will go down. I will teach the truth to kingdom of God." man. I will fill his mind with the precepts of "Truly I say to you, I shall never righteousness. Thus, contemplating the again drink of the fruit of the vine truth, he shall be delivered from the stain of until that day when I drink it sin." But again the almighty Father answers: new in the kingdom of God." "Thy precepts are good. But they cannot Verily I say unto you, I will drink no deliver man from sin, or wash away the stain more of the fruit of the vine, until of sin. They will only remind him of what he that day that I drink it new in the has lost, and from whence he has fallen. Thy kingdom of God. precepts are not sufficient." C. H. Spurgeon Then a third angel comes forward. He says: I cannot resist repeating the remark I have "I will go down to earth. I will tell man of a often made about that singing of a hymn. It great hope. I will allure him out of his sins by seems to me such a grand, brave thing for the music of the hope of a future life that the Savior to sing a hymn after the last meal shall be sinless. Thus, he shall arise and that he would eat with his disciples before follow after righteousness. Thus, he shall his death when he knew that he was going lose the stain of his sin." But once more God forth to all the torture of Pilate’s hall, and to answers: "Mighty spirit, sweet is the music of death at Calvary. Yet he says, “Let us sing a hope. But the hope about which you will sing hymn.” He chose a Psalm of David, and, I to man cannot save him. It will only sadden dare say, himself pitched a tune. “And when his heart with the difference between what they had sung a hymn, they went out unto he is, and what thou tellest him he may the Mount of Olives.” become." For a time there is silence in heaven. WINE Beverage made from fermented grapes. Then comes the Son, in whose face is the Grapes grew throughout ancient Palestine. brightness of the glory of God, and before Even in areas with limited rainfall, enough whom angel and archangel, cherubim and dew fell at night to support thriving seraphim, bow down in reverence. Then vineyards. Wine was produced by pressing 17 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 the juice from the grapes in large stone vats from the Upper Room to the Garden of with a small drain at one end. The juice was Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, they all collected in troughs, poured into large jars, walked along the same path. But spiritually, and allowed to ferment while stored in cool, Jesus and these eleven men were heading rock cisterns. In New Testament times, wine in opposite directions. was kept in skin flasks and often diluted with water. It was also used as a medicine and Jesus was going to this garden of olive trees disinfectant. Scripture condemns to pray and to submit Himself in obedience drunkenness and overindulgence, but to His Father's will--even to death on the pictured wine as a part of the typical ancient Cross (Phil. 2:8). But the disciples, minus meal. Judas, were heading toward failure, weakness, and denial. Kingdom of God The kingdom of God was the central image Jesus was going to a death that had been in Jesus' preaching as clearly seen in Mark prophesied for Him as God's perfect 1:14-15, a summary of the preaching of sacrifice for sin. He was preparing to lay Jesus. The kingdom of God is the heart of down His life for the sheep. And part of His the summary. suffering was the fact that these men who had been His closest companions would In His parables Jesus spoke of the kingdom leave Him alone and flee for their lives. in many different ways. He said that the kingdom is like a farmer (Matthew 13:24), a It's hard to imagine how utterly quiet that seed (Matthew 13:31), a yeast (Matthew short walk must have been before Jesus 13:33), a treasure (Matthew 13:44), a pearl spoke. The disciples probably did not know merchant (Matthew 13:45), a fishnet what to say. They were still trying to process (Matthew 13:47), an employer (Matthew what Jesus had told them at dinner. 20:1), a king inviting people to a marriage feast (Matthew 22:2), and ten young women The Lord broke the silence with His painful (Matthew 25:1). He spoke also of the glad prediction that His ""sheep"" would scatter. tidings of the kingdom (Luke 8:1) and of the Why did He cite the prophet Zechariah to mystery of the kingdom of God (Mark 4:11). affirm His point? This was typical of Jesus' ministry. He was very conscious that His 14:26 When they had sung a hymn, they ministry was a fulfillment of Scripture, as we went out to the Mount of Olives. will see again when we come to the And after singing a hymn, they contemplation of the Cross. went out to the Mount of Olives. And when they had sung an hymn, Peter later told the crowd at Pentecost that they went out into the mount of Jesus had been handed over for crucifixion Olives. by ""God's set purpose and foreknowledge"" (Acts 2:23). In other words, these things 14:26 The hymn they sang was most likely were not happening by chance. So the taken from Psalms 115-118, traditionally disciples' failure around the time of His sung at the Passover meal. crucifixion did not take Jesus by surprise.

TODAY IN THE WORD Mark records that the exchange between As Jesus and His disciples made their way Peter and Jesus concerning Peter's denial 18 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 took place at this point, while Luke seems to that there were three distinct types or styles present it as happening during dinner. This of vocal music in use in those days. The is one of several instances where the reference indicates that Christian song was Gospel writers varied the details of Holy used in worship, to instruct in the faith, and Week. to express joy. In another New Testament reference, Acts 16:25, the mention of singing Luke compressed the events together more "praises" to God obviously means that Paul than Mark did, but the point is the same. The and Silas sang hymns in prison. Shepherd would be struck down, and His sheep would scatter. The disciples' failure to The author of the Book of Hebrews stressed stay spiritually alert is a sobering lesson for in 2:12 (a quotation of the messianic Psalm us. 22:22) that Jesus will declare His name to the church, that He will "sing praise," or New Testament hymns. Today, the hymnal is known as the The Bible makes it clear that the singing of companion to the Bible because hymns play spiritual songs was a part of the early a large part in Christian life. Christian church. Among the songs in the New Testament are several outstanding TODAY IN THE WORD songs that have become a part of liturgical The late pastor and author A. W. Tozer once Christian worship: Luke 1:46-55, Mary's said that he doubted whether God could use song "The Magnificat"; Luke 1:68-79, anyone greatly until He had wounded that Zacharias' prophetic song "The Benedictus"; person deeply. and Luke 2:29-32, Simeon's blessing of the infant Jesus and farewell_ "The Nunc For many people whom God has used in Dimittis." Numerous doxologies (Luke 2:14; great ways that wounding comes in the form 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; Rev. 4:8, for of a crisis that strips away the individual’s example) doubtless were used in corporate pride and illusions of self-sufficiency. Peter is worship. a prime example. His very public failure during the crucifixion of Jesus, and the Other passages in the New Testament give Lord’s restoration of Peter, helped to forge evidence of being quotations of hymns or the apostle’s ministry that eventually fragments of hymns (Romans 8:31-39; 1 culminated in the writing of First and Second Cor. 13; Ephes. 1:3-14; Ephes. 5:14; Phil. Peter. 2:5-11; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; Titus 3:4- 7). As for references to the word itself, the Peter’s pride and self-sufficiency were New Testament states that Jesus and His obvious the night that Jesus was betrayed disciples sang a hymn at the end of the Last and arrested. To begin with, only an overly Supper (Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26). Most self-confident person would say, “Even if all Bible students think they sang part of Psalm fall away, I will not” (v. 29). 115-118, hymns known as the Hallel, which traditionally were sung after supper on the Even when Jesus warned him pointedly that night of Passover. he would fail and disown his Lord, Peter refused to hear what Jesus was saying. The division of Christian song into psalms, When Peter insisted on his ability to stand hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephes. 5:19; firm, the other disciples readily agreed with Col. 3:16) should not to be taken to mean him. 19 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

It didn’t take long, however, for Peter’s Explore It weakness to become evident. Jesus and the disciples left the Last Supper and headed for 03. When did the events of this story take the Garden of Gethsemane, where Peter place? (14:12) was given a preview of how he would act ______under the intense pressure of Jesus’ trial ______and crucifixion. ______Three times Peter failed to stay alert and to ______pray while Jesus was agonizing with His ______Father in the garden. Recognizing Peter’s position of leadership, Jesus asked him, 04. What did Jesus’ disciples ask Him? “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (v. (14:12) 37). ______Since we know the end of the story, it seems ______plain to us that Peter should have stopped at ______this point, confessed his weakness to Christ, ______and asked for His strength. But he didn’t ______know what to say, and, by the time he had fully recovered from his sleepiness, Judas 05. How did Jesus make the and the soldiers had already arrived. From arrangements for the Passover meal? that point, things went downhill quickly for (14:13) Peter. ______Open It ______01. What is one ceremony or observance ______that is important to you? ______06. Whom did Jesus send to make the ______arrangements for the Passover meal? ______(14:13) ______02. How does your church celebrate the ______Lord’s Supper? ______07. What specific instructions did Jesus ______give the disciples He sent out? (14:13- ______15) ______

______12. What important announcement did ______Jesus make? (14:25) ______08. How did Jesus’ predictions compare to ______what the disciples actually found when ______they got into the city? (14:16) ______13. How did Jesus and the disciples ______conclude their Passover meal? ______(14:26) ______09. What was the reaction of the disciples ______to Jesus’ prediction of His betrayal? ______(14:19) ______Get It ______14. Why do you think Jesus made ______arrangements for the Passover meal ______in such a secretive manner? ______10. How did Jesus specify who would ______betray Him? (14:20-21) ______15. Why do you think Jesus told His ______disciples that one of them would ______betray Him? ______11. The central emphasis of the Passover ______meal was traditionally the sacrificial ______lamb; where did Jesus place His ______emphasis? (14:22-24) ______16. How does the fulfillment of Jesus’ ______predictions in this account encourage ______you to trust Him? ______

______while? ______17. When have you had opportunity to ______trust God with your future? ______22. What can we learn about the practice ______of Communion through this passage? ______18. Why do you think God seldom ______chooses to reveal the future to us? ______23. Why is Communion or the Lord’s ______Supper important? ______19. What does the account of Judas’s ______betrayal of Jesus tell us about God’s sovereignty? 24. How does God want us to use the ______Lord’s Supper? ______20. What does the account of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus tell us about our 25. How does the old covenant God made accountability to God? with Israel compare or differ with the ______new covenant He has made through ______the blood of Jesus Christ? ______21. What causes Christians to betray or ______reject Christ after following Him for a 22 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

26. What difference should it make in your ______everyday life that Jesus sacrificed His ______body and blood for your eternal ______salvation? ______14:27 "You will all fall away," Jesus told ______them, "for it is written: ______" 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' And Jesus said to them, "You will Apply It all fall away, because it is written, 27. What are two or three steps you can 'I will strike down the shepherd, take to prepare for the next time you and the sheep shall be scattered.' celebrate the Lord’s Supper? And Jesus saith unto them, All ye ______shall be offended because of me ______this night: for it is written, I will smite ______the shepherd, and the sheep shall ______be scattered. ______14:27 It’s easy to think that Satan temporarily gained the upper hand in this 28. What do you want to remember the drama about Jesus’ death. But we see later next time you take the Lord’s Supper? that God was in control, even in the death of ______his Son. Satan gained no victory— ______everything occurred exactly as God had ______planned. ______14:27-31 This was the second time in the ______same evening that Jesus predicted the disciples’ denial and desertion, which 29. How can you say thank you to Jesus probably explains their strong reaction (Mark each day this week for the suffering 14:31). For Jesus’ earlier prediction, see He endured for you? Luke 22:31-34 and John 13:36-38. ______C. H. Spurgeon ______What sweet comfort was there — as much ______as to say, “Though you are scattered, I will ______gather you. Though you forsake me, I will ______not forsake you. I will go before you into our old haunts, into that Galilee of the Gentiles 30. How can you trust Christ with the where I was wont to preach aforetime. I will circumstances you do not yet go before you into Galilee.” understand? DIASPORA The scattering of the Jews from 23 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 the land of Palestine into other parts of the Resurrection Real To Early Christians world and the Jews thus scattered. The term Early Christians did not go out into the world DISPERSION is also often used to describe preaching an ethical code, or a system of this process. philosophy, or a utopian gospel of social improvement. The Church was established The Diaspora took place over several on the Resurrection faith, summed up in the centuries. While its exact beginnings are creedal affirmation: Jesus is Lord. The difficult to date, two major events greatly disciples did not have a concept of contributed to it. In 722 B. C. the Assyrians immortality, and then think up a resurrection captured the Northern Kingdom (Israel). experience to sustain it. They experienced Following this victory, the Assyrians resettled the resurrection, then went out into the world large numbers of the Israelites in Assyria (2 to tell about it. Whether we are convinced or Kings 17:6). In 586 B. C. the Babylonians not, they were! captured the Southern Kingdom (Judah) and followed the same policy of resettlement. 14:29 Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, Many of the residents of Judah were I will not." transported to Babylon (2 Kings 25:8-12). But Peter said to Him, "Even While some of these persons later returned though all may fall away, yet I will to Judah, many of them remained not." permanently in Babylon. Later, other wars But Peter said unto him, Although all fought by the Greeks and Romans in shall be offended, yet will not I. Palestine helped scatter more of the Jewish people. Peter's fall:  Self-confidence C. H. Spurgeon  Proud boasting There was love in that utterance, and so far  Unwatchfullness it was commendable; but there was also  Cowardice much self-trust in it, cud there was great  Ungodly company presumption, for Peter dared even to  Denying the Lord contradict his Master to his face; and, at the same time, he contradicted the inspired Denial of Christ: Scripture, for Jesus had told the disciples  A look at denying Jesus. that it was written that the sheep should be  Caused by two things. scattered. Yet Peter boldly denied both what God had written and what Christ had said. Foretold: Alas! there is nothing of evil which proud  His falling away. self-confidence will not make us do. God  How Jesus treats failure. save us from such a spirit as that!  Great tragedy of denial.  Lesson in failure. 14:28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead  Repented. of you into Galilee." "But after I have been raised, I Three denials: will go before you to Galilee."  Peter and the Jews. But after that I am risen, I will go  Warning of Satan's attacks. before you into Galilee.

C. H. Spurgeon So Peter was not alone in his intense, The day begins at sunset. though rash expression of attachment. They did mean, all of them, to stand to their 14:30 "I tell you the truth," Jesus Master, and to die with him, as you and I answered, "today--yes, tonight-- mean to. But shall we carry it out better than before the rooster crows twice you they, think you? Not if our resolve, like theirs, yourself will disown me three times." is made in our own strength. And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that you yourself this 14:31 But Peter insisted emphatically, very night, before a cock rows "Even if I have to die with you, I will twice, shall three times deny Me." never disown you." And all the And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I others said the same. say unto thee, That this day, even in But Peter kept saying insistently, this night, before the cock crow "Even if I have to die with You, I twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing, too. C. H. Spurgeon But he spake the more vehemently, See how positive he was, how reliant upon If I should die with thee, I will not the strength of his own love. It was well to deny thee in any wise. Likewise also feel such love, but it was ill to mix with it said they all. such self-confidence. C. H. Spurgeon See how positive he was, how reliant upon Whenever a man, who is called to be a the strength of his own love. It was well to leader, goes astray, others are pretty sure to feel such love, but it was ill to mix with it follow him. It was so on this occasion, for such self-confidence. when Peter made his boastful speech, “Likewise also said they all,” all the rest of Peter’s Denial his brethren chimed in, and so shared in his There were three stages to Peter's denial. sin, but he was chief in the wrong-doing, for First he acted confused and tried to divert he led them all. attention from himself by changing the subject. Second, using an oath he denied In the 53rd verse, we read what happened that he knew Jesus. Third, he began to after Christ’s agony and betrayal in curse and swear. Believers who deny Christ Gethsemane: often begin doing so subtly by pretending not to know him. When opportunities to Early Christians Feared Nothing discuss religious issues come up, they walk Pliny, the Roman governor of Bithynia about away or pretend they don't know the AD 120, was trying to root out the answers. With only a little more pressure, Christians. they can be induced to deny flatly their relationship with Christ. If you find yourself "I will banish thee," he said to one. subtly diverting conversation so you don't The reply came: "Thou canst not, for the have to talk about Christ, watch out. You whole world is my father's house." may be on the road to disowning him. 1 Kings 8:27

C. H. Spurgeon "I will slay thee," said the governor. 25 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

The answer: "Thou canst not, for my life is Explore It hid with Christ in God." 04. What did Jesus reveal to His Col. 3:3 disciples? (14:27) ______"I will take away thy treasures". ______Again, the reply came: "Thou canst not, ______for my treasure is in Heaven." ______Rev. 21:21 ______"I will drive thee away from men and thou wilt have no friends left." 05. How would Jesus’ prediction fulfill But the Christian still said: "Thou canst not, Scripture? (14:27) for I have a friend from whom thou canst ______never separate me." ______Romans 8:38 ______Open It ______01. What is one fact about the future you ______wish you knew? ______06. What did Jesus quote? Why? (14:27) ______02. What is one part of your past you wish you could do over? 07. To what “shepherd” and “sheep” did ______Jesus refer? Why? (14:27) ______03. What is one institution, person, or organization to which you have felt 08. What information did Jesus give the loyal over the years? Why? disciples? (14:28) ______

09. How did Peter respond to Christ’s 14. What do the disciples’ reactions tell us words? (14:29) about them? (14:31) ______

10. What was Peter’s state of mind when Get It Jesus predicted that the disciples would betray Him? (14:29) 15. What does the verse that Jesus ______quoted mean: “I will strike the ______shepherd, and the sheep will be ______scattered”? ______11. What did Jesus say about Peter’s ______loyalty? (14:30) ______16. Why do you think Jesus sometimes ______chose to reveal to His disciples what ______would happen in the future and at ______other times left them in the dark? ______12. What was the reaction when Jesus ______said that Peter would disown Him? ______(14:31) ______17. Why do you think Jesus told Peter that ______he was not as faithful a friend as he ______assumed? ______13. What did Peter claim? (14:31) ______18. What is the benefit in knowing we are ______vulnerable to failure?

______24. What exactly can we do to stay 19. Why do you think Peter boasted of his committed to Jesus in the face of loyalty to Christ? testing or suffering? ______

20. In what ways do Christians declare 25. What role does accountability play in their loyalty to Christ? helping Christians remain loyal to ______Christ? ______21. Why do some Christians fall away from following Christ? 26. How should you react if another ______believer falls away from his or her ______faith? ______22. What specific area of your life most ______tests your loyalty to Christ? ______27. What difference does it make that all ______of Jesus’ predictions about the future ______came true? ______23. What can we do to strengthen our ______commitment to Christ? ______28 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

28. What can we learn from this passage about Jesus’ character and attitude? Eight of you keep watching at the garden ______gate to let me know when my betrayer ______comes. ______GETHSEMANE ______Place name meaning, "olive press." Place ______where Jesus went after the Last Supper, a garden outside the city, across the Kidron on Apply It the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1- 29. In what way can you show your 14). Here Jesus charged the disciples to dependence on God for the strength "watch" as He prayed. Judas led the to follow Christ? enemies of Jesus to Gethsemane where ______Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial. ______Here Jesus, the Son, showed He had ______learned obedience to the Father even in ______suffering (Hebrews 5:7-9). ______Gethsemane was probably a remote walled 30. What can you do over the next week garden (Jesus "entered" and "went out") to renew and strengthen your faith in where Jesus went often for prayer, rest, and Christ? fellowship with His disciples. ______Queen Helena, mother of Constantine, built ______the first church (A.D. 326) at the foot of the ______Mount of Olives, a short distance down from ______the Golden Gate. Today, on the same site, a ______modern Roman Catholic "Church of All Nations" is erected beside a beautiful 14:32 They went to a place called garden of eight ancient olive trees. Inside, Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his windows of bluish alabaster veil the altar of disciples, "Sit here while I pray." a naked rock by which Jesus is said to have And they came to a place named knelt and prayed. Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here until I have In The: prayed."  Manger of His humility And they came to a place which  Workshop of His business was named Gethsemane: and he  Jordan of His submission saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.  Wilderness of His temptation  Synagogue of His Church C. H. Spurgeon  Home of His love The garden on the side of the hill of Olivet.  Mountain of His prayer  World of His compassion 29 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

 Friendship of His help as I have sat in an olive-garden, I have  Boat of His testimony never been without the sense that it was the  Sphere of His work place and the hour of prayer.  Will of His Father  Place of His triumph 14:33 He took Peter, James and John  Purpose of His determination along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  Gethsemane of His sorrow And He took with Him Peter and  Gabbatha of His persecution James and John, and began to be  Power of His Spirit very distressed and troubled.  Cross of His death And he taketh with him Peter and  Might of His resurrection James and John, and began to be  Glory of His ascension sore amazed, and to be very heavy;  Mount of His Transfiguration C. H. Spurgeon C.H. Spurgeon They had not seen him in that state before. Our Lord left the table or happy fellowship, He seemed like one distracted, so amazed and passed over the brook Kedron, so — like one astonished out of all composure associated with the sorrows of David. He unable to collect himself or to contain then entered into the garden named himself, and to be very heavy, as if an awful Gethsemane, not to hide himself from death, weight pressed on his soul. but to prepare for it by a season of special prayer. CRUCIFIXION A person crucified in Jesus' day was first of Gethsemane was our Lord's place of secret all scourged (beaten with a whip consisting prayer. If he resorted to his closet in the hour of thongs with pieces of metal or bone of trial, we need to do so far more. In his attached to the end) or at least flogged until the blood flowed. This was not just done out solitary supplication he was oppressed with of cruelty but was designed to hasten death a great grief, and overwhelmed with a and lessen the terrible ordeal. After the terrible anguish. It was a killing change from beating, the victim was forced to bear the the cheerful communion of the Supper to the crossbeam to the execution site in order to lone agony of the garden. signify that life was already over and to break the will to live. A tablet detailing the Let us think with great solemnity of the olive- crime(s) was often placed around the garden where the Saviour sweat as it were criminal's neck and then fastened to the great drops of blood. cross. At the site the prisoner was often tied (the normal method) or nailed (if a quicker C.H. Spurgeon death was desired) to the crossbeam. The There is something in an olive-garden, on a nail would be driven through the wrist rather hillside, which makes it most suitable for than the palm, since the smaller bones of prayer and meditation. The shade is solemn, the hand could not support the weight of the the terraces divide better than distance, the body. The beam with the body was then ground is suitable for kneeling upon, and the lifted and tied to the already affixed upright surroundings are all in accord with holy pole. Pins or a small wooden block were thoughts. I can hardly tell why it is, but often placed halfway up to provide a seat for the 30 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 body lest the nails tear open the wounds or moves into the second stage, that of anger. the ropes force the arms from their sockets. He becomes angry for no apparent reason Finally the feet were tied or nailed to the with his doctor, his friends, his family, and post. Death was caused by the loss of blood the nurses. circulation and coronary failure. Especially if the victims were tied, it could take days of Following this comes the stage of hideous pain as the extremities turned bargaining. Dr. Ross explained here the slowly gangrenous; so often the soldiers patient bargains to stave off the inevitable by would break the victims legs with a club, promising to "live for God," go to church, causing massive shock and a quick death. give his body to medical science, or some Such deaths were usually done in public other futile means. Yet, the bargaining is places, and the body was left to rot for days, little more than a temporary respite in the with carrion birds allowed to degrade the progress toward dying. corpse further. The fourth and most difficult stage is that of 14:34 "My soul is overwhelmed with increasing depression. The patient finally sorrow to the point of death," he realizes what is happening to him and enters said to them. "Stay here and keep a time when he is actually grieving for his watch." own demise. It is a trying time for both And He said to them, "My soul is patient and loved ones. deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep However, Dr. Ross says, this is followed by watch." the fifth and final stage, and that is And saith unto them, My soul is acceptance. Then, even though the smallest exceeding sorrowful unto death: glimmer of hope will remain, he is ready to tarry ye here, and watch. die. An interesting note of this study was that if the patient is interrupted in any phase of C. H. Spurgeon this circle of suffering, he merely prolongs These three were to make his closest his agony. bodyguard, to intimate to him if any came. Therefore, Dr. Ross suggests ministers and 5 Stages In Facing Death doctors should understand these basic Several years ago a profound and dramatic cycles; and rather than merely trying to research project began in Chicago's Billings cheer up the terminally ill, minister to their Hospital. It was a seminar on death, in which particular needs at that particular time. psychiatrists, chaplains, nurses, and medical doctors studied the ultimate human crisis of WATCHMAN facing death. Basic findings is that the very One who stands guard. Ancient cities had ill proceed through five emotional stages on watchmen stationed on the walls. Their their way to death responsibility was to sound a warning if an enemy approached (2 Kings 9:17; Ezekiel The first stage is denial. Here the patient is 33:2-3). Israel's prophets saw themselves as unwilling to accept his fate and the nature of watchmen warning the nation of God's his predicament. When physical indications approaching judgment if the people did not make denial no longer possible the patient repent. Vineyards and fields also had 31 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 watchmen, especially during harvest. Their That was the point of the prayer, the very responsibility was to guard the produce from pith and marrow of it not what I will, but what animals and thieves. thou wilt.

14:35 Going a little farther, he fell to the His Prayer: ground and prayed that if possible  Lonely the hour might pass from him.  Humble And He went a little beyond them,  Filial and fell to the ground, and began  Earnest to pray that if it were possible, the  Persevering hour might pass Him by.  Resigned And he went forward a little, and fell  Answered on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass Ministering to Grief from him.  Realize the gift of presence. Just calling and being there can be of 14:35-36 Was Jesus trying to get out of his value. task? Jesus expressed his true feelings, but he did not deny or rebel against God’s will.  Do not over talk the grieving person. He reaffirmed his desire to do what God Provide the awesome power of the wanted. Jesus’ prayer highlights the terrible listening ear. suffering he had to endure—an agony so  Let them know it is alright for them much more magnified because he had to to grieve. Even Jesus wept over the take on the sins of the whole world. This death of His friend Lazarus. “cup” was the agony of alienation from God,  Be ready to minister to the griever his Father, at the cross (Hebrews 5:7-9). The for a long time. It sometimes takes sinless Son of God took on our sins and was as much as two years to work separated for a while from God so that we through a grief experience. could be eternally saved.  Tactfully remind the griever of Him who said, "I am the resurrection, 14:36 While praying, Jesus was aware of and the life: he that believeth in me, what doing the Father’s will would cost him. though he were dead, yet shall he He understood the suffering he was about to live" (John 11:25), and invoke His encounter, and he did not want to have to blessing. endure the horrible experience. But Jesus prayed, “Not what I will, but what you will.” 14:36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything Anything worth having costs something. is possible for you. Take this cup What does your commitment to God cost from me. Yet not what I will, but what you? Be willing to pay the price to gain you will." something worthwhile in the end. And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for C. H. Spurgeon Thee; remove this cup from Me; A stone’s cast, so as to be retired from them. yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt." And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away 32 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

this cup from me: nevertheless not in the most sweet and intimate way. what I will, but what thou wilt. Now we must see that this same "Abba, His Prayer: Father" love-life has been sent into our  Lonely hearts. Paul declares, "And because you are  Humble sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His  Filial Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba,  Earnest Father!" (Gal. 4:6). What a joy! What a hope! The very prayer life of God's Son is in our  Persevering hearts. The intimate love-life between the  Resigned Father and the Son has been put into us.  Answered We have it! It is not a matter of trying to find it or longing to possess it. We have the Uniqueness Of "Our Father" Triune God's love-life within us. And by It is said that the Muslims have 99 names for virtue of our being a born-again Christian, the Supreme Being, but there is none that we are entitled to merge in our hearts with resembles the intimacy of the Christian's the love flowing between the Father and the "Our Father." The tender love of God for His Son in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (2 children is only revealed in the Bible. Cor. 13:14). Heathen religions present their deities as gods who should be feared, but do not The Lord's love-life with the Father simply conceive of them as gracious, needs to be cultivated and released in us. compassionate beings filled with concern for That life is in us twenty-four hours a day. suffering humanity. The Christian alone is The same life that cried "Abba, Father," the able to look up with the intimacy of a child same life that withdrew so many times into stretching forth his arms to his affectionate the wilderness to pray, the same life that parent and exclaiming, "Abba, Father!" wanted to be with the Father alone - that life (Galatians 4:6). The term "abba" literally is in us. And that life in us needs time. The means "papa." same life that took time to pray in the Gospels still needs time to pray in us. The Devotional Spirit of His Son is located within our hearts, waiting for us to join in and cry "Abba, It takes time to cultivate a love relationship Father." What an indescribable enjoyment - with the Lord. This was demonstrated by the that we could merge with the Son's life Lord's own earthly life. He repeatedly spent which is ever pressing anew with equal time with the Father, enjoying the Father's intimacy into the bosom of the Father love (Luke 5:16). In Mark 14:36 we find Him in the garden of Gethsemane, where it was 14:37 Then he returned to his disciples His habit to go and be with the Father (Luke and found them sleeping. "Simon," 22:39). Here He is once again pressing into he said to Peter, "are you asleep? the bosom of the Father while facing the Could you not keep watch for one critical hour of crucifixion. Mark records that hour? the Lord was saying repeatedly, "Abba, And He came and found them Father." This means that even when He sleeping, and said to Peter, became obedient unto death, the death of "Simon, are you asleep? Could the cross, He did it by enjoying the Father's you not keep watch for one hour? love. To say "Abba" is to call upon the Father 33 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

And he cometh, and findeth them  Seek support of friends and loved sleeping, and saith unto Peter, ones Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not  Focus on the purpose God has thou watch one hour? given us

C. H. Spurgeon C. H. Spurgeon Oh! that was a kind excuse to make for them Matthew and Luke tell us that he said “Could — to say something good about them, even ye not watch with me one hour?” and Mark though they slept when they ought to have tells us here that he especially said that to comforted him. He did see that their spirit Peter. Now remember that Mark is the was ready, but the flesh was weak. gospel of Peter. No doubt Mark was the great friend of Peter, and writes his gospel Fifteen Minutes After Communion from Peter’s point, so Peter in the Gospel of In a bulletin of a Roman Catholic church in Mark records the worst things about himself, Wisconsin this amazing statement by a and he just puts it here that the Master said, priest was printed: "There have been a “Simon, sleepest thou?” Bad enough for the number of people leaving the church a few others to be asleep, but “Simon, sleepest minutes after they have received holy thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour?” communion....This is a great dishonor to our blessed Lord. The Church tells us Jesus Always On Officer Duty remains in our bodies fifteen minutes after "Why do you stand in such an unbecoming we have received holy communion. That position?" the Duke of Wellington once means that our thanksgiving should be at asked an officer caught slouching in uniform. least fifteen minutes long....We should not "I'm off duty, sir," the man replied. Then the leave the church until our Lord is no longer Duke bellowed, "A British officer is never off with us!" duty. Resume your military position." 14:39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 14:38 Watch and pray so that you will not And again He went away and fall into temptation. The spirit is prayed, saying the same words. willing, but the body is weak." And again he went away, and "Keep watching and praying, that prayed, and spake the same words. you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, C. H. Spurgeon but the flesh is weak." How could they excuse their conduct? A Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into second time asleep! They were in a muddled temptation. The spirit truly is ready, state. but the flesh is weak. His Prayer: 14:38 In times of great stress, we are  Lonely vulnerable to temptation, even if we have a  Humble willing spirit. Jesus gave us an example of  Filial what to do to resist:  Earnest  Persevering  Pray to God  Resigned 34 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

 Answered sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; Theological Insights behold, the Son of Man is being Dialogue is what is essential to prayer. betrayed into the hands of Prayer makes a difference in what happens sinners. (James 4:2). Our understanding of prayer And he cometh the third time, and will correspond to our understanding of God. saith unto them, Sleep on now, and When God is seen as desiring to bless take your rest: it is enough, the hour (James 1:5) and sovereignly free to respond is come; behold, the Son of man is to persons (Jonah 3:9), then prayer will be betrayed into the hands of sinners. seen as dialogue with God. God will respond when we faithfully pursue this dialogue. Legend of Judas Prayer will lead to a greater communion with Legend fills up the silence of the Gospels God and a greater understanding of His will. concerning Judas. He is said to have been a foredoomed wretch, whose mother received 14:40 When he came back, he again warning of what he would be in a dream found them sleeping, because their before his birth. To avoid this, his parents eyes were heavy. They did not know enclosed him in a chest, and flung him into what to say to him. the sea. The sea cast him upon the shore in And again He came and found the domain of a king and queen, who them sleeping, for their eyes were adopted him as their own son. Malignant very heavy; and they did not from his birth, he killed a foster brother, fled know what to answer Him. to Judea, and became a page to Pontius And when he returned, he found Pilate. He commits many monstrous crimes, them asleep again, (for their eyes is at length filled with contrition and terror, were heavy,) neither wist they what and flees to Christ for peace. (Matthew 27:3) to answer him. 14:42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my Asleep On Finishing Line betrayer!" To the cheers of 4,000 spectators, a garden "Arise, let us be going; behold, snail won the World Champion Snail Race in the one who betrays Me is at Gundarro, Australia, and then fell asleep on hand!" the finishing line. The snail, known only as Rise up, let us go; lo, he that No. 806 and owned by eight-year-old Tracey betrayeth me is at hand. Prisk from nearby Canberra, covered the two-yard course in just less than 20 minutes Of Judas Kiss And Judas Goat to beat 12 rivals. When the Romans wanted to capture Jesus they paid one of his trusted followers to 14:41 Returning the third time, he said to betray him. Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus' them, "Are you still sleeping and disciples. The Romans arranged for a signal resting? Enough! The hour has from Judas. He would identify Jesus by come. Look, the Son of Man is kissing him in the Garden of Gethsemane. In betrayed into the hands of sinners. return for this betrayal, Judas was paid thirty And He came the third time, and pieces of silver. Judas is thus the symbol of said to them, "Are you still betrayal and treason, and the "thirty pieces of silver" has become another way of saying 35 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

"blood money." An act of betrayal has come 05. What did Jesus tell the disciples to to be known as a "Judas kiss." Similarly, a do? (14:32) "Judas goat" is the animal that leads a flock ______to the slaughter house. ______Open It ______01. How have your friends helped you ______through difficult times in your life? ______06. Who did Jesus take with him to pray? ______(14:33) ______07. What emotions was Jesus feeling? 02. What is it like to have a friend let you (14:33-34) down when you really need support? ______08. What do Jesus’ actions at this time tell 03. Who has been a faithful friend to you us about His character? (14:33-34) during difficult times in your life? ______09. Why was Jesus so distressed and troubled? (14:33-34) Explore It ______04. Where did the events of this story take ______place? (14:32) ______10. What did Jesus do in response to His ______deep sorrow? (14:35-36) ______36 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______11. What “hour” did Jesus pray to “pass ______from Him”? (14:35-36) ______16. Why did the disciples have so much ______trouble praying with Jesus? (14:38) ______12. What does Jesus’ prayer tell us about ______His relationship to God the Father? (14:36) 17. How did Jesus explain the difference ______between the spirit and the body? ______(14:38) ______13. What distressed Jesus when He ______returned to His disciples? (14:37) ______18. What caused the disciples to be ______speechless when Christ returned to ______them the second time? (14:40) ______14. What did Jesus find when He returned ______to the disciples who were keeping ______watch? (14:37) ______19. When did Jesus stop praying? (14:41- ______42) ______15. How did Jesus instruct the disciples to ______prevent themselves from falling into temptation? (14:38) 20. What caused Jesus to stop praying? 37 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

(14:41-42) ______25. What about Christ’s humanity can we ______learn from this event in His life? ______Explore It ______21. Why do you think Jesus chose three ______disciples to pray with Him? ______26. What difference does it make that ______Jesus experienced such despair and ______pain firsthand? ______22. What does the fact that God did not ______grant Jesus’ request teach us about ______prayer? ______27. What can we learn about prayer from ______Jesus’ example? ______23. If Mark’s readers were Roman ______Christians undergoing persecution, ______what would this section of his Gospel ______say to them? ______28. When do you need to pray? ______24. How does this passage encourage you to react when you feel distressed 29. Why didn’t the disciples watch and or troubled? pray with Jesus as He asked them to? ______38 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______35. What does it mean to “watch and 30. What was the difference between the pray”? disciples’ intentions and their actions? ______36. How can we prevent ourselves from 31. What stops us from helping people in falling into temptation? need? ______Apply It 32. What human weaknesses make it hard for us to do what God wants? 37. Who is someone you can ask to help ______you overcome a weakness? ______33. How should you pray when you must face a difficult or painful task? 38. What needs of others will you commit ______yourself to pray for during this next ______week? ______34. How can we trust God with our ______extremely difficult circumstances? ______39. How can you support a friend or ______relative facing a difficult task this ______week? ______39 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______ The life He would lose ______ The shame He would suffer ______ The death He would die ______SWORD ______Close-range weapon. The Hebrew word chereb and the Greek word machaira 14:43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, designate either a dagger or a sword. The one of the Twelve, appeared. With Hebrew word also designates an iron tool him was a crowd armed with swords ("axes," Ezekiel 26:9) or a chisel ("tool," and clubs, sent from the chief Exodus 20:25). In Joshua 5:2, the word priests, the teachers of the law, and designates stone knives used in the the elders. circumcision of the people of Israel. And immediately while He was Archaeology has shown that different kinds still speaking, Judas, one of the of swords were used in the Ancient Near twelve, came up, accompanied by East. The sickle or curved sword was used a multitude with swords and throughout Mesopotamia, Egypt, and in clubs, from the chief priests and Palestine. The earlier swords were straight, the scribes and the elders. relatively short, and made of bronze. Ehud's And immediately, while he yet sword was the two-edged short dagger; it spake, cometh Judas, one of the measured about 18 inches (Judges 3:16). twelve, and with him a great The sword used by the Israelites in the multitude with swords and staves, conquest of Canaan probably was the long- from the chief priest and the scribes bladed, curved sword (Joshua 6:21). and the elders. CLUB A weapon of war used in close 14:43-45 Judas was given a contingent of combat to strike an enemy. Arms and Armor police and soldiers (John 18:3) in order to KJV does not refer to clubs, but modern seize Jesus and bring him before the translations use club to translate at least religious court for trial. The religious leaders four Hebrew and a Greek word. Mappets had issued the warrant for Jesus’ arrest, and was a hammer-like weapon used to strike Judas was acting as Jesus’ official accuser. opponents. Israel was God's war club to shatter Babylon (Jeremiah 51:20). His Steadfastness:  The denial of Peter Maqqel is a shoot or twig of a bush  The betrayal of Judas (Jeremiah 1:11) and then a staff used by  The forsaking of His friends someone walking across country or tending  The agony of Gethsemane sheep (Genesis 32:11; 1 Samuel 17:40). It  The suffering of Gabbatha came to be listed as a weapon of war  The forsaking of God (Ezekiel 39:9). Shebet is a rod or staff used  The piercing of the Cross in agriculture (Isaiah 28:27), herding flocks  The sin He was to be made (Psalm 23:4), in punishing people (Exodus  The curse of broken law 21:20; Proverbs 22:15; Micah 5:1), symbolizing authority of office (Numbers  The judgment He would bear 24:17; Isaiah 14:5). From the last usage, the  The wrath He must pass 40 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 word came to mean, "tribe" ((Exodus 24:4). The shepherd's staff came to be adopted as 14:45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, a weapon (2 Samuel 23:21; Isaiah 10:5; "Rabbi!" and kissed him. Isaiah 10:15; Isaiah 10:24). And after coming, he immediately went to Him, saying, "Rabbi!" and 14:44 Now the betrayer had arranged a kissed Him. signal with them: "The one I kiss is And as soon as he was come, he the man; arrest him and lead him goeth straightway to him, and saith, away under guard." Master, master; and kissed him. Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, RABBI "Whomever I shall kiss, He is the Title meaning, "my master," applied to one; seize Him, and lead Him teachers and others of an exalted and away under guard." revered position. During the New Testament And he that betrayed him had given period, the term rabbi came to be more them a token, saying, Whomsoever narrowly applied to one learned in the law of I shall kiss, that same is he; take Moses, without signifying an official office. him, and lead him away safely. 14:46 The men seized Jesus and arrested JUDAS him. The first picture is that of Judas' great call. And they laid hands on Him, and Judas' great tragedy was his failure as one seized Him. of the twelve apostles. Just think about the And they laid their hands on him, fact. Judas had been personally chosen by and took him. Christ. He had some great potential, some unique qualities that attracted the Lord. ARREST Therefore, the Lord gave Judas the most  Of Jesus. honored opportunity in all the world to  Of apostles. develop his abilities the privilege of walking  Of Paul and Silas. with Him personally.  Of Paul.

 Judas knew Christ face to face. 14:47 Then one of those standing near  Judas walked with Christ day after drew his sword and struck the day. servant of the high priest, cutting off  Judas heard most, if not all, that his ear. Christ taught. But a certain one of those who  Judas saw most, if not all, that stood by drew his sword, and Christ did. struck the slave of the high priest,  Judas was trained to be an apostle and cut off his ear. by Christ Himself. And one of them that stood by drew  Judas served as an apostle, even a sword, and smote a servant of the on witnessing tours, under Christ's high priest, and cut off his ear. personal command  Judas was warned of sin's 14:47 According to John 18:10, the person consequences by Christ Himself. who pulled the sword was Peter. Luke 22:51

41 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 records that Jesus immediately healed the And Jesus answered and said unto man’s ear and prevented any further them, Are ye come out, as against a bloodshed. thief, with swords and with staves to take me? Christianity's Relics Here are some of the "relics" considered REBELLION authentic in apostate Christianity:  Grows out of a negative attitude.  We are rebellious by nature.  Hair of the Virgin in churches in  Slipping into "quiet" rebellion. Naples and Rome.  Leads to rejection by God.  Her Wedding Ring in Cathedral Perugia. 14:49 Every day I was with you, teaching  Her Holy Girdle at church in Prato. in the temple courts, and you did not  Drops of the Virgin's Milk are kept in arrest me. But the Scriptures must the church of San Gaudioso e be fulfilled." Patrizio at Naples and at St. Mary of "Every day I was with you in the the People at Rome. temple teaching, and you did not  The Holy Basin used at the Last seize Me; but this has happened Supper is kept in the Cathedral of that the Scriptures might be St. Lorenzo at Genoa. fulfilled."  The Lance which pierced Jesus' I was daily with you in the temple side, Veronica's Veil with Christ's teaching, and ye took me not: but features imprinted, and the Head of the scriptures must be fulfilled. St. Andrew are all kept in the four massive piers which support St. Christ's Death Prophesied, Fulfilled Peter's dome. Betrayed By A Friend  Christ's burial sheet is in Turin's PSALM 41:9 "Yea, mine own familiar friend, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. in whom I trusted, which did eat of my  The rectangular marble stone with bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." Christ's footprints is kept in the LUKE 22:21 "But, behold, the hand of him Church of St. Sebastian, Rome. that betrayeth me is with me on the table."  Three shoulder blades, four legs, five arms, 50 index fingers all Sold For 30 Pieces of Silver supposedly that of John the Baptist, ZECH. 11:12 "And I said unto them, If ye which pointed to the Lamb of God think good, give me my price; and if not, plus 13 heads are claimed all over forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty the continent. pieces of silver." MATTHEW 26:15 "And said unto them, 14:48 "Am I leading a rebellion," said What will ye give me, and I will deliver him Jesus, "that you have come out with unto you? And they covenanted with him for swords and clubs to capture me? thirty pieces of silver." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out with Coins To Be Thrown On Floor swords and clubs to arrest Me, as ZECH. 11:13 "And the LORD said unto me, against a robber? Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I

42 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 was priced at of them. And I took the shiny Jesus, and scourged him." pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord." MATTHEW 27:5 Christ To Be Crucified "And he cast down the pieces of silver in the PSALM 22:14-18 "I am poured out like temple, and departed, and went and hanged water, and all my bones are out of joint: my himself." heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels...they pierced my hands and my Christ's Followers To Desert Him feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and ZECH. 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my stare upon me." NOTE: During King David's shepherd, and against the man that is my time, crucifixion was unknown. Stoning was fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the used. The Romans adopted this practice shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: only around 200 B.C. and I will turn mine hand upon the little JOHN 19:16-18 "Then delivered he him ones." therefore unto them to be crucified...Where MATTHEW 26:56 "But all this was done, that they crucified him...But one of the soldiers the scriptures of the prophets might be with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, came there out blood and water." and fled." Crucified Among Thieves Christ Silent Before Accusers ISAIAH 53:12 "Therefore will I divide him a ISAIAH 53:7 "He was oppressed, and he portion with the great, and he shall divide was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: the spoil with the strong; because he hath he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and poured out his soul unto death: and he was as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so numbered with the transgressors; and he he openeth not his mouth." MATTHEW bare the sin of many, and made intercession 27:12-14 "And when he was accused of the for the transgressors." chief priests and elders, he answered MATTHEW 27:38 "Then were there two nothing...And he answered him to never a thieves crucified with him, one on the right word; insomuch that the governor marveled hand, and another on the left." greatly." Christ's Garment Parted and Lots Drew For Christ Struck and Spat Upon_ It MICAH 5:1 "Now gather thyself in troops, O PSALM 22:18 "They part my garments daughter of troops: he hath laid siege among them, and cast lots upon my against us: they shall smite the judge of vesture." Israel with a rod upon the cheek." MATTHEW 27:35 "And they crucified him, MATTHEW 27:30 "And they spit upon him, and parted his garments, casting lots." and took the reed, and smote him on the head." 14:50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. Christ To be Scourged And they all left Him and fled. ISAIAH 50:6 "I gave my back to the smiters, And they all forsook him, and fled. and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and 14:50 Just hours earlier, these disciples had spitting." vowed never to desert Jesus (Mark 14:31). JOHN 19:1 "Then Pilate therefore took 43 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

Sevenfold Suffering: young man, having a linen cloth  Hands of Satan cast about his naked body; and the  Hands of God young men laid hold on him:  Way of anticipation  Hands of friends 14:51-52 Tradition says that this young man  Contact with sin may have been John Mark, the writer of this  His body members Gospel. The incident is not mentioned in any of the other accounts.  Hands of enemies LINEN An Alibi For Desertion The most common fabric used in the Ancient During the war a soldier deserted his Near East. It was spun from the flax plant regiment. When brought before the general and bleached before being woven into he was upbraided and called the vilest clothing, bedding, curtains, and burial names for betraying his Fatherland. "I did shrouds. The tabernacle curtains (Exodus not betray my Fatherland," the soldier 26:1) and the high priest's garments pleaded. "I love my country, and would even (Exodus 28:6) were of "fine linen” cloth sacrifice my life for her, but I had to run woven so finely that it cannot be because I despise the enemy so much that I distinguished from silk without the aid of couldn't stand the sight of his face magnification. His Steadfastness: 14:52 he fled naked, leaving his garment  The denial of Peter behind.  The betrayal of Judas But he left the linen sheet behind,  The forsaking of His friends and escaped naked.  The agony of Gethsemane And he left the linen cloth, and fled  The suffering of Gabbatha from them naked.  The forsaking of God  The piercing of the Cross NAKED  The sin He was to be made Being without clothes (Genesis 2:25; Job  The curse of broken law 1:21; Eccles. 5:15; Amos 2:16; Micah 1:8) or  The judgment He would bear else poorly clothed (Deut. 28:48; Matthew  The wrath He must pass 25:36-44; James 2:15). The phrase "to  The life He would lose uncover the nakedness of" means to have  The shame He would suffer sexual intercourse (Leviticus 18:6-19;  The death He would die Leviticus 20:11; Leviticus 20:17-21). Nakedness frequently occurs in conjunction 14:51 A young man, wearing nothing but a with shame (Genesis 3:7; Genesis 9:21-27; linen garment, was following Jesus. Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:8; Ezekiel 16:36-37). When they seized him, And a certain young man was Open It following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked 01. When have you ever been blamed for body; and they seized him. something you did not do? And there followed him a certain ______44 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______02. What is one friendship you once had that went sour? 07. Why did the religious leaders bring a ______large, armed force to arrest Jesus? ______(14:43-48) ______03. What does it feel like to be wrongly ______accused? ______08. What signal had Judas prearranged ______with the armed leaders to identify ______Jesus? (14:44) ______Explore It ______04. Who was Judas? (14:43-44) ______09. How did Judas greet Jesus? Why? ______(14:44-45) ______05. Who accompanied Judas to ______Gethsemane? Why? (14:43-44) ______10. In what way were Judas’s actions ______contradictory? (14:44-45) ______06. How did the religious leaders treat ______Jesus? (14:43-46) 11. How did one of Jesus’ disciples (we 45 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

know from John 18:10 that it was 16. What is significant about the fact that Peter) react to the arrest of Jesus? all of Jesus’ followers deserted Him? (14:47) (14:50-52) ______

12. How did Jesus respond to the sight of Get It the armed men? (14:48-49) ______17. What do we know about Judas from ______this passage? ______13. How was Jesus’ response to this ______situation different from that of His followers? (14:48-50) 18. What kind of person was Judas? ______

14. What had to happen? (14:49) 19. In what way was Judas hypocritical? ______

15. Who fled the scene? When? (14:50- 20. In what way is Judas a negative 52) example to all of us? ______

______21. In what ways are we like Judas in the way we treat Jesus? 26. How can we prepare for times when ______our dedication to Christ is tested? ______22. What do Peter’s actions tell us about his character and his understanding of 27. How can we guard against saying one Jesus? thing and doing another? ______

23. How do you think Jesus must have felt 28. How does Jesus’ perseverance in this about the fact that His disciples situation encourage you to endure deserted him? your difficult circumstances? ______

24. Why did Jesus’ disciples desert Him? 29. What can we learn about Jesus’ ______character from His actions? ______25. When are you most tempted to compromise your commitment to 30. When have you ever felt that all of Christ? your friends deserted you? ______47 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together. 31. What difference does it make to you And they led Jesus away to the that Jesus was deserted by all of His high priest; and all the chief friends? priests and the elders and the ______scribes gathered together. ______And they led Jesus away to the high ______priest: and with him were ______assembled all the chief priests and ______the elders and the scribes. ______14:53ff This trial by the Sanhedrin had two 32. How can you lean on Jesus when you phases. A small group met at night (John go through very distressing and 18:12-24), and then the full Sanhedrin met frightening experiences? at daybreak (Luke 22:66-71). They tried ______Jesus for religious offenses such as calling ______himself the Son of God, which, according to ______law, was blasphemy. The trial was fixed: ______these religious leaders had already decided ______to kill Jesus (Luke 22:2). ______TODAY IN THE WORD The Nazi secret police who burst into Corrie Apply It ten Boom's home in Holland were acting on 33. What can you do now to prepare for a tip that something unusual was happening times when your dedication to Christ there. The Nazis suspected the family of is tested at work, at home, or around hiding Jews, but all they could find were neighbors? unauthorized ration stamps. The terrifying ______search was depicted in the dramatic film, ______""The Hiding Place."" The Nazi officials ______conducted their usual ""investigation""-- ______shouting accusations, demanding ______confessions, and even hitting Corrie on the ______mouth when her response was not fast enough. 34. What friend can you support through a difficult situation? How? True accounts such as these are about as ______close as human events come to duplicating ______the injustices and indignities heaped on our ______Lord at His trials and crucifixion. What's truly ______amazing is that the sinless Son of God ______willingly submitted to His persecutors to ______save us from our sins!

14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest, Jesus knew He would be betrayed to evil men and suffer at their hands (Mk. 14:41). In 48 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 fact, the Lord's Servant spoke prophetically 6 by Quirinius, governor of Syria. Though he of His own suffering, even to the details of was deposed in A.D. 15 by Gratus, he how He would be humiliated and beaten by continued to exercise considerable His enemies (Isa. 50:6). influence. When Jesus was arrested, He was taken before Annas (John 18:13). After These words from the Servant's mouth were Pentecost, Annas led other priests in fulfilled in Christ's trial before the high priest questioning Peter and the other church Caiaphas. We were reminded the other day leaders (Acts 4:6). of Christ's silence before Pilate, to the latter's amazement. C. H. Spurgeon Thus we learn what a cold night it was, — But here, Jesus responded affirmatively to that night in which the Savior’s “sweat was the high priest's direct question, ""Are you as it were great drops of blood falling down the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"" to the ground.” (Mk. 14:61). Caiaphas had unknowingly identified Jesus perfectly, and the Lord Often, at Jerusalem, the days are extremely claimed His rightful identity. not, yet the nights are as cold as if it were whiter, through the abundant dews that fall, Jesus' answer evoked the high priest's rage and cause a dampness everywhere. and a charge of blasphemy. Here was the ultimate irony: Caiaphas was at that moment C. H. Spurgeon the great blasphemer for charging the Son He could not hold his tongue, you see. He of God and denying His identity. was always fast and forward in speech; and no sooner did he begin to speak than the C. H. Spurgeon people said, “That is the Galilean brogue; Meanwhile, Christ was being put to the you come from that part of the country, your utmost derision and contempt. In the 66th speech betrays you.” verse, we are told more concerning the boastful apostle: TODAY IN THE WORD An American Christian studying in Morocco C. H. Spurgeon was arrested last year for giving a gospel We may regard what was said to Jesus, by tract to a Muslim hotel worker while on a trip. Annas and Caiaphas, as a sort of unofficial His trial was ""very chaotic and confusing."" preliminary examination; and, meanwhile, The judges mocked his faith as the their fellow conspirators were scouring the courtroom spectators laughed. streets of Jerusalem to gather together the members of the Sanhedrim, and also The accused was allowed no phone call or searching among the slums in order to find legal help and following the trial was witnesses who could be bribed to give false deported to Spain. A legal expert said the evidence against Jesus. judges did not follow the Moroccan penal code in this case but used their own ideas ANNAS (ahn'nus), son of Seth, was a priest based on Islamic law. And worse yet, this at the time John the Baptist began his public man's roommate, a Korean Christian, was preaching (Luke 3:2). Evidently, Annas, arrested and deported after being found whose name means "merciful," was innocent by the courts. appointed to the high priesthood about A.D. 49 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

Mock trials are nothing new. This modern- distance, right into the courtyard day account of an abuse of power helps to of the high priest; and he was shed light on the true motivation of those sitting with the officers, and who tried Jesus throughout the early warming himself at the fire. morning hours of Good Friday. And Peter followed him afar off, Officials such as the high priest Caiaphas even into the palace of the high and the Jewish council were not interested priest: and he sat with the servants, in truth or justice. And the innocence of and warmed himself at the fire. Jesus was never in question. People were found: The high priest and his henchmen did not  At the Beautiful Gate even follow Jewish law, which said that the  At the Door testimony of at le was necessary to make a  At the Sepulcher charge viable. They just kept parading lying  At His Feet witnesses before the council, hoping to find  At the Fire two people who could tell the same lie. Mark says they weren't successful in the attempt DENIAL (v. 59). There were three stages to Peter's denial. First he acted confused and tried to divert Besides all this, the council was not attention from himself by changing the supposed to convene at night. On legal subject. Second, using an oath he denied grounds, the case against Jesus should that he knew Jesus. Third, he began to have been dismissed. But Jesus had said curse and swear. Believers who deny Christ that this was the hour when darkness would often begin doing so subtly by pretending reign (Luke 22:53). not to know him. When opportunities to discuss religious issues come up, they walk It was at this trial, one of six religious and away or pretend they don't know the civil trials Jesus endured that morning, that answers. With only a little more pressure, Jesus spoke in His defense. Caiaphas they can be induced to deny flatly their asked Jesus directly: ""Are you the Christ, relationship with Christ. If you find yourself the Son of the Blessed One?"" (Mark 14:61). subtly diverting conversation so you don't Jesus was under oath to answer truthfully: have to talk about Christ, watch out. You ""I am."" may be on the road to disowning him.

Caiaphas tore his robe in an act of mock 14:55 The chief priests and the whole piety and indignation and called off the Sanhedrin were looking for evidence search for more phony witnesses. Jesus against Jesus so that they could put was charged with blasphemy, convicted, him to death, but they did not find sentenced to death--and immediately the any. abuse began. Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to 14:54 Peter followed him at a distance, obtain testimony against Jesus to right into the courtyard of the high put Him to death; and they were priest. There he sat with the guards not finding any. and warmed himself at the fire. And the chief priests and all the And Peter had followed Him at a 50 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

council sought for witness against him, but their witness agreed not Jesus to put him to death; and together. found none. C. H. Spurgeon C. H. Spurgeon It was a rule that they should be examined A pretty court that was, occupied in seeking separately, and there had not been time for for witnesses who might enable them to them to be coached up as to what they were condemn to death a prisoner against whom to say, so one contradicted the other, and it no charge had yet been formulated. looked as if the trial must break down.

SANHEDRIN PERJURY The highest Jewish council in the first A false statement given voluntarily under century. The council had 71 members and oath. Perjury involves either false witness to was presided over by the high priest. The past facts or the neglect of what has been Sanhedrin included both of the main Jewish previously vowed. Mosaic law prohibited parties among its membership. Since the false swearing (Leviticus 19:12; Exodus high priest presided, the Sadducean priestly 20:7) and giving false witness (Exodus party seems to have predominated; but 20:16). False witness was punishable with some leading Pharisees also were members the sentence which would have gone to the (Acts 5:34; Acts 23:1-9). one falsely accused of guilt (Deut. 19:16- 21). Vows and oaths to perform an act were The word Sanhedrin is usually translated to be fulfilled (Numbers 30:2). "council" in the English translations of the Bible. Because of the predominance of the C. H. Spurgeon chief priests in the Sanhedrin, at times the Both Matthew and Mark say that it was a words chief priests seem to refer to the maid, and another maid who spoke to Peter; action of the Sanhedrin, even though the and now Luke mentions a man; but there is name itself is not used. no reason why all three of them should not have united in bringing this charge. One 14:55 The Romans controlled Israel, but the maid began the accusation, and the others Jews were given some authority over joined with her religious and minor civil disputes. The Jewish ruling body, the Sanhedrin, was 14:57 Then some stood up and gave this made up of 71 of Israel’s religious leaders. It false testimony against him: was assumed that these men would be just. And some stood up and began to Instead, they showed great injustice in the give false testimony against Him, trial of Jesus, even to the point of making up saying, lies to use against him (Mark 14:57). And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 14:56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Basic errors: For many were giving false  Is a sin common to false citizenship. testimony against Him, and yet  Thinking that Jesus was a deceiver. their testimony was not  Thinking that the claims of Christ consistent. were deceitful. For many bare false witness against 51 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

 Thinks a person can camouflage. marble and gold. This temple was what  Thinks one can be born again Jesus saw. It was completely destroyed by without doing right. Titus the Roman general in AD 70.  Thinks one can become righteous on his own. It is almost impossible to imagine how a  Thinks one does not necessarily sin. "Third" temple could be built on the site of  Thinks one is not totally sinful and Moslem's holiest shrine. depraved. Perhaps unimaginable events in the world 14:58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy will result in an agreement with the Arabs for this man-made temple and in three the purchase of their mosque, although this days will build another, not made by seems highly unlikely. Perhaps there will be man.' " an earthquake, planned or otherwise. Or it "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy may be that the Jews would have to wait this temple made with hands, and until antichrist comes, makes a covenant in three days I will build another with Israel, and permits them to rebuilt their made without hands.' " temple. Note that nothing requires that the We heard him say, I will destroy this "Third" temple be rebuilt before the temple that is made with hands, and tribulation period and certainly the first 3½ within three days I will build another years of the tribulation will be ample time to made without hands. do it.

14:58 The statement that the false 14:59 Yet even then their testimony did not witnesses finally agreed to use as an agree. accusation twisted Jesus’ actual words. And not even in this respect was Jesus did not say, “I will destroy this man- their testimony consistent. made temple;” he said, “Destroy this temple, But neither so did their witness and I will raise it again in three days” (John agree together. 2:19). Jesus was not talking about Herod’s temple, but about his own body. C. H. Spurgeon The Savior had been standing in the upper Rebuilding The "Third" Temple part of the room, which was probably roofed When the Jews captured the Old City of over, while Peter and the rest were down Jerusalem in 1967, they came into below in the courtyard, which was open to possession of the site for a future "Third" the sky, and therefore they needed a fire to temple. warm them. Jesus had been standing before his judge; but on a sudden, as the cock The first temple, built by Solomon (about crew, he “turned, and looked upon Peter.” 960 BC) was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. FALSE ACCUSATION  Against Joseph by Potipher’s wife. The Persians next came and allowed the  Against Joseph's brethren by Jews under Zerubbabel to return and rebuild Joseph. the Temple on a much smaller scale. Herod  Against Moses by Korah. enlarged this temple and adorned it with  Against the prophet Ahimelech by 52 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

Saul. Losing all patience, he stood up, in a furious  Against Abner by Joab. rage at the torn things were taking.  Against David by the princes of Ammon. On "They Said"  Against Elijah by Ahab. Aaron Burr at the end of his long life, during  Against Naboth by Jezebel. which he had tasted the cup of honor and  Against Jews, returned under Ezra. distinction and also drained the dregs of  Against Jeremiah. bitterness and humiliation, lay dying in a  Against Amos. boardinghouse at Port Richmond, Staten  Against Mary. Island. A friend who was waiting upon him in  Against Jesus. reporting to him some rumor commenced by  Against Stephen. saying, "They say." At that Burr interrupted  Against Paul. her and said, "My dear, never use that word.  Against Paul and Silas. It has broken more hearts than any other."  Satan falsely accuses Job. C. H. Spurgeon 14:60 Then the high priest stood up before This time, according to Matthew’s account, them and asked Jesus, "Are you not the high priest said to Jesus, “I adjure thee going to answer? What is this by the living God, that thou tell us whether testimony that these men are thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” Being bringing against you?" thus, as it were, put upon his oath, the And the high priest stood up and Savior felt compelled to answer. He could came forward and questioned not remain silent when such a great and Jesus, saying, "Do You make no important question was at stake. answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" 14:61 But Jesus remained silent and gave And the high priest stood up in the no answer. midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Again the high priest asked him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it "Are you the Christ, the Son of the which these witness against thee? Blessed One?" But He kept silent, and made no 14:60-64 To the first question, Jesus made answer. Again the high priest was no reply because it was based on confusing questioning Him, and saying to and erroneous evidence. Not answering was Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son wiser than trying to clarify the fabricated of the Blessed One?" accusations. But if Jesus had refused to But he held his peace, and answer the second question, it could have answered nothing. Again the high been taken as a denial of his mission. priest asked him, and said unto him, Instead, his answer predicted a powerful Art thou the Christ, the Son of the role reversal. Sitting on the right hand of Blessed? power, he would come to judge his accusers, and they would have to answer C. H. Spurgeon his questions (Psalm 110:1; Rev. 20:11-13). That cock crowing had come at the very moment Christ had foretold, for Peter had C. H. Spurgeon already denied his Master thrice.

Why Was He Silent? the simple identifying "I am he." The "I am" Why is He silent when a word, of Mark 6:50 means "I am Jesus and not a Would slay His accusers all? ghost," but suggests the divine "I am" who Why does He meekly bear their taunts, alone "tramples down the waves of the sea" When angels wait His call? (Job 9:8; Mark 6:48-49) and made the "He was made sin," my sin waves hush (Psalm 107:28-29; compare He bore Upon the accursed tree, Mark 4:39). John 8:24 makes recognition And sin hath no defense to make, that Jesus is the "I am" a matter of eternal His silence was for me! life and death: "You will die in your sins unless you believe that I am." The Jews Claimed By Jesus: misunderstood, thinking it was a matter of  Confronting death. identity ("Who are you?" John 8:25). Recognition that Jesus is the "I am" who is In Jerusalem: one in word and action with His Father is  His major thrust in Jerusalem. possible only when Jesus has been lifted up  Is Lord. on the cross/raised from the dead (John 8:28). Recognition of:  First recognition by Jesus. That the Jews rightly understood Jesus'  Throughout His ministry. claim "before Abraham was, I am" (John  When launching His ministry. 8:58) as a divine claim is evident from their picking up stones to throw at Him. The "I 14:62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see am" of John 18:5 again suggests more than the Son of Man sitting at the right "I am the man you are looking for." Rather, hand of the Mighty One and coming Jesus is the "I am" whose awesome on the clouds of heaven." presence forced the guard back and into a And Jesus said, "I am; and you posture of reverence. Here Jesus was not shall see the Son of Man sitting at the object of betrayal but the subject who the right hand of Power, and won the release of His disciples (John 18:8). coming with the clouds of Though differing in form from the "I am" heaven." sayings, the references to the one "who is And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall and who was and who is to come" (Rev. 1:4; see the Son of man sitting on the Rev. 1:8; Rev. 4:8; compare Rev. 11:17; Rev. right hand of power, and coming in 16:5) are similar in thought. In a context of the clouds of heaven. intense hardship that called into question God's sovereignty, the writer of Revelation C. H. Spurgeon reaffirmed Israel's faith in the "I am" who is Perhaps we have the same narrative in the subject of history and not its victim. Luke; possibly, however, he gives us a continuation of the sad story; it is difficult to C. H. Spurgeon say which is the case. Now hear what John has to say about this matter. He wrote after the other three I AM Evangelists, and he generally supplies their Jesus' "I am" response in several New deficiencies. He it is who tells us how Simon Testament passages suggests more than Peter got into the hall.

14:63 The high priest tore his clothes. crimson they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 14:64 "You have heard the blasphemy. And tearing his clothes, the high What do you think?" priest said, "What further need do They all condemned him as worthy we have of witnesses? of death. Then the high priest rent his clothes, "You have heard the blasphemy; and saith, What need we any further how does it seem to you?" And witnesses? they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 14:63-64 Of all people, the high priest and Ye have heard the blasphemy: what members of the Sanhedrin should have think ye? And they all condemned recognized the Messiah because they knew him to be guilty of death. the Scriptures thoroughly. Their job was to point people to God, but they were more Pennsylvania Law of Blasphemy concerned about preserving their The state of Pennsylvania once had a law reputations and holding on to their authority. that reads: "If any person shall willfully, They valued human security more than premeditatedly and despitefully blaspheme, eternal security. or speak loosely or profanely of Almighty God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the "Though They Be Red Like Crimson" Scriptures of Truth, such a person, on We usually refer to sin as being black, but in conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay the Bible sin is said to be crimson and a fine, not exceeding $100, and undergo an scarlet. The most difficult color to cover is imprisonment, not exceeding three months, red. Painters tell me that any other color, or either, at the discretion of the court." even black, can easily be covered with paint, but with red it is different, for it will "bleed 14:65 Then some began to spit at him; through." But God can change red to white they blindfolded him, struck him with by painting it with the red blood of Jesus. their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And There is a tradition by Jewish rabbis, that the guards took him and beat him. the High Priest bounded a scarlet fillet And some began to spit at Him, around the neck of the scapegoat (Leviticus and to blindfold Him, and to beat 16:7) as the sin bearer. When the priest Him with their fists, and to say to confessed his own, and the people's sins, Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers upon the goat (Leviticus 16:21-22), then the received Him with slaps in the cloth became white if the atonement was face. accepted. If it was not accepted, it remained And some began to spit on him, and scarlet. The rabbis further say that the goat to cover his face, and to buffet him, was led twelve furlongs out of Jerusalem and to say unto him, Prophesy: and where the fillet was hung at the door of the the servants did strike him with the temple and it would turn from scarlet to palms of their hands. white. The rabbis tell us that this changing of the ribbon from red to white was the thing which Isaiah refers to when he writes, Christ’s Face: "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall  Glorious be as white as snow; though they be red like 55 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

(transfiguration) ______ Agonized ______(supplication) ______ Insulted ______(persecution) ______ Covered ______(derision)  Steadfast 02. What do you think is good or bad (determination) about capital punishment?  Set ______(destination) ______ Struck ______(opposition) ______ Marred ______(substitution)  Illuminating (ministration) Explore It  Revealed 03. Before whom did Jesus have to stand (reproduction) trial? (14:53) ______The World Religious Imposter ______According to Rev. 13:7, all nations, kindred ______and tongues will worship the antichrist ______(beast). His religious policy will be very ______simple: Everyone must worship the beast ______and have his mark (666). Refusal results in beheading. For the first time in history, there 04. Who followed Jesus as He was being is a super church, a one-world religion, and led away? How? (14:54) Satan incarnate will receive the world's ______worship. In this apostasy, the Antichrist will ______have a helper "the False Prophet" (Rev. ______19:20; 20:10). He is the "second" beast of ______Rev. 13. This world religious leader will ______actively promote the worship of the Antichrist ______as God (Rev. 13:12). And with the power of punishment by death and economic control, 05. What did the men of the Sanhedrin the false prophet succeeds. The Antichrist is want to do to Jesus? Why? (14:55) deified as god. Thus we see an Unholy ______Trinity Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet at ______work during the final 7 years of earth's ______history. ______Open It ______01. When was the last time you were misunderstood or misinterpreted? 56 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

06. Why did the Sanhedrin have such a difficult time convicting Jesus? (14:55- 11. What did the high priest finally do in an 59) attempt to speed up the trial? (14:61) ______

07. What testimony did some witnesses 12. When did Jesus choose to speak? bring against Jesus? (14:57-58) (14:62) ______

08. How did the high priest try to get 13. What did Jesus tell the Sanhedrin? Jesus to answer the questions put to (14:62) Him? (14:60) ______14. Why did the high priest respond with 09. What was Jesus’ response to all the such shock to Jesus’ testimony? accusations against Him? (14:61) (14:63-64) ______

10. How did Jesus use silence during all 15. What did the Sanhedrin consider the testimony against Him? (14:61) blasphemy? (14:64) ______57 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______16. To what punishment did the Sanhedrin ______sentence Jesus? Why? (14:64) ______21. What should we do when ______circumstances are beyond our ______control? ______17. How did the people in the courtroom ______abuse Jesus after He was sentenced ______to death? (14:65) ______22. How do you think Jesus felt during His ______trial? Why? ______Get It ______18. Why do you think Peter followed ______Jesus “at a distance”? ______23. Why do you think Jesus chose to ______remain silent throughout the initial ______testimony against Him? ______19. What emotions do you think Peter felt ______as he was following Jesus? ______24. What can we learn about dealing with ______stress and fear from Jesus’ example? ______20. When have you ever felt that ______circumstances had gone beyond your ______control? ______25. What can we learn about dealing with ______false accusations from Jesus’ example? 58 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______30. What specific steps can you take this ______week to entrust your circumstances to ______God? ______26. What difference does it make to you ______that Jesus will one day return? ______14:66 While Peter was below in the ______courtyard, one of the servant girls of ______the high priest came by. ______And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls 27. What do we learn about Jesus from of the high priest came, this trial? And as Peter was beneath in the ______palace, there cometh one of the ______maids of the high priest: ______14:66-67 Caiaphas’s house, where Jesus ______was tried (Mark 14:53), was part of a huge ______palace with several courtyards. John was apparently acquainted with the high priest, 28. How can we live our lives blamelessly and he was let into the courtyard along with as Jesus did? Peter (John 18:15-16). ______TODAY IN THE WORD ______In his book, Peculiar Treasures, Frederick ______Buechner (refer to June 1) includes a vivid ______personality sketch of the apostle Peter. After ______noting that Jesus had prophesied Peter’s three-fold denial, Buechner writes, “That’s the way it was, of course--Peter sitting out Apply It there in the high priest’s courtyard keeping 29. How do you want to react the next warm by the fire while, inside, the ghastly time you are falsely accused or interrogation was in process, and then the tricked? girl coming up to ask him three times if he ______wasn’t one of them and his replying each ______time that he didn’t know what in God’s name ______she was talking about.” ______By the end of this awful evening, Peter was ______ready to put himself under all kinds of curses and to swear an oath that he didn’t even 59 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 know Jesus. This was certainly a defining about A.D. 36 or 37. moment in Peter’s life--and without Jesus’ own intervention on Peter’s behalf in prayer C. H. Spurgeon (Luke 22:31-32), it would have been the end I think I see her, with her eyes fixed upon of the apostle’s ministry. him, as he was warming himself at the fire: “She looked upon him,” Peter did just about everything wrong that night. Earlier, in the Garden of Gethsemane, 14:67 When she saw Peter warming he had tried to defend Jesus and maimed a himself, she looked closely at him. man named Malchus (John 18:10-11). But "You also were with that Nazarene, the Savior rebuked Peter and healed the Jesus," she said. wounded man (Luke 22:51). and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and Next, Peter unwisely left the other disciples said, "You, too, were with Jesus and joined strangers at the fire outside the the Nazarene." high priest’s residence while Jesus was And when she saw Peter warming being tried inside. Being among this hostile himself, she looked upon him, and crowd left Peter open to accusations that said, And thou also wast with Jesus caught him off guard and led to his quick of Nazareth. denials. C. H. Spurgeon But there is one very important thing Peter This first time was not the regular season of did right on the night he denied Jesus Christ. cock-crowing, but those birds crow when Immediately after hearing the rooster and they please. Before the fixed period called realizing that Jesus had correctly predicted the cock-crowing, his actions, Peter “broke down and wept” (v. 72). Peter was to deny his Master three times; this was the first time. C. H. Spurgeon He could not hold his tongue, you see. He NAZARENE was always fast and forward in speech; and Nazareth did not possess a good reputation, no sooner did he begin to speak than the as reflected in the question of Nathanael, people said, “That is the Galilean brogue; himself a Galilean (John 1:46). The early you come from that part of the country, your church received similar scorn as the speech betrays you.” Nazarene sect (Acts 24:5). Such lack of respect was likely due to an unpolished CAIAPHAS dialect, a lack of culture, and quite possibly Personal name meaning "rock" or a measure of irreligion and moral laxity. "depression." The high priest at the time of Jesus' crucifixion (Matthew 26:3). He was 14:68 But he denied it. "I don't know or the son-in-law of Annas and a leader in the understand what you're talking plot to have Jesus arrested and executed. about," he said, and went out onto Little is known about Caiaphas beyond what the entryway. can be learned from the New Testament. But he denied it, saying, "I neither Evidently he was appointed high priest know nor understand what you about A.D. 18 and removed from office are talking about." And he went 60 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

out onto the porch. to Peter, Surely thou art one of But he denied, saying, I know not, them: for thou art a Galilean, and neither understand I what thou thy speech agreeth thereto. sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. GALILEAN Person who lived in Galilee. Their speech Peter: John 18:12-27 distinguished them from Jews in Jerusalem  A lesson in failure. and Judah, particularly their difficulty in  A look at Peter's denial of Christ. distinguishing the sounds of the gutturals  The great tragedy of denial. which are important in Hebrew and Aramaic. Peter's Galilean speech set him apart from 14:69 When the servant girl saw him there, the courtyard crowd during Jesus' trial (Mark she said again to those standing 14:70; compare Acts 2:7). Jesus was around, "This fellow is one of them." identified as being from Galilee (Matthew And the maid saw him, and began 26:69). Pilate used this as an excuse to get once more to say to the Herod to hear Jesus' case (Luke 23:6-7). bystanders, "This is one of Galileans had a reputation for rebellion and them!" disregard of Jewish law (Acts 5:37), so they And a maid saw him again, and could be regarded as sinners (Luke 13:2). began to say to them that stood by, Apparently, Pilate had killed some Galileans This is one of them. while they offered the Passover sacrifices in Jerusalem (Luke 13:1). GALILEANS Slaughtered by Herod. On His return to Galilee from Judea and  Thought to be great sinners. Samaria, Jesus received a warm welcome  Speech and accent was distinct. from the Galileans. This surprising statement  Were receptive to Jesus and His is modified by the following story showing ministry. the welcome apparently depended on an expectation of miracles not on appreciation C. H. Spurgeon for who Jesus was or from faith in Him (John “ Thou hast the peculiar brogue of that part 4:43-54). of the country: ‘Thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.’” 14:71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I 14:70 Again he denied it. don't know this man you're talking After a little while, those standing about." near said to Peter, "Surely you are But he began to curse and swear, one of them, for you are a Galilean." "I do not know this man you are But again he was denying it. And talking about!" after a little while the bystanders But he began to curse and to swear, were again saying to Peter, saying, I know not this man of whom "Surely you are one of them, for ye speak. you are a Galilean too." And he denied it again. And a little 14:71 Peter’s curse was more than just a after, they that stood by said again common swear word. He was making the strongest denial he could think of by denying 61 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 with an oath that he knew Jesus. He was contradiction, and the incident introduced by saying, in effect, “May God strike me dead if Mark shows how, to the very letter, both of I’m lying.” those utterances of our Savior were fulfilled,

14:71 It is easy to get angry at the So is it with regard to those who spoke to Sanhedrin and the Roman governor for their Peter; when we come to another account, injustice in condemning Jesus, but Peter you will see that they differ very and the rest of the disciples also contributed considerably, yet they are all true, for all that. to Jesus’ pain by deserting him (Mark Luke 22:54- 56. Then took they him, and led 14:50). While most of us may not be like the him, and brought him into the high priest’s Jewish and Roman leaders, we are like the house. And Peter followed afar off. And disciples because all of us have been guilty when they had kindled a fire in the midst of of denying Christ as Lord in vital areas of the hull, and were set down together, Peter our lives. We may pride ourselves that we sat down among them. have not committed certain sins, but we are all guilty of sin. Don’t try to excuse yourself But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by by pointing at others whose sins seem the fire, — The flickering light helped to worse than yours. reveal his features to this maid “as he sat by the fire,” Caused by:  Being overconfident. 14:72 Immediately the rooster crowed the  Carnal commitment. second time. Then Peter  Following afar off; sitting down remembered the word Jesus had among the crowd. spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me C. H. Spurgeon three times." And he broke down He does not say that he went out, and wept and wept. bitterly, as Luke says in his version of the And immediately a cock crowed a incident. This is Peter’s own account of it, so second time. And Peter he says as little as he can to his own credit, remembered how Jesus had while he tells all that is to his discredit. made the remark to him, "Before a cock crows twice, you will deny You notice that there seem to be some slight Me three times." And he began to differences between these two accounts, weep. and it is quite natural that it should be so. If And the second time the cock crew. any two honest men here were to describe And Peter called to mind the word any scene that they had witnessed, the two that Jesus said unto him, Before the would be sure to differ in some particulars, cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me yet both accounts might be true. thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. Matthew tells us that Jesus said to Peter, “Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me C.H. Spurgeon thrice;” but Mark tells us that he said, Repentance is wrought by the Spirit of God. “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Buy he works it in us by leading us to think me thrice.” Yes; but there is no real upon the evil of sin. Peter could not help

62 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14 weeping when he remembered his grievous Clement notes that Peter so repented that, fault. all his life after, every night when he heard the cock crow, he would fall upon his knees DENIAL and weeping bitterly, would beg pardon for Peter's denial predicted (Mark 14:27-31). On his sin. Ah! Souls, you can easily sin as the the way Jesus remarked that soon all the saints, but can you repent with the saints? disciples would desert Him. Peter was Many can sin with David and Peter, who incensed. "Even if I have to die with You, I cannot repent with David and Peter, and so will never disown You." But Jesus told Peter must perish for ever. that that very night he would disown Christ Open It three times three times before the rooster crowed. 01. What subjects do most people try to avoid in polite company? Why? Think about: ______ Your transgressions ______ Resisting the Holy Spirit ______ Your small progress ______ Your backsliding ______ Neglect of lost souls ______ No time for Jesus 02. What is one fact about you that most  Your personal witness people don’t know?  Your lack of love ______Thomas Brooks ______Peter falls dreadfully, but by repentance ______rises sweetly; a look of love from Christ ______melts him into tears. He knew that ______repentance was the key to the kingdom of grace. At once his faith was so great that he leaped, as it were, into a sea of waters to Explore It come to Christ; so now his repentance was 03. Where did the events of this story take so great that he leaped, as it were, into a place? (14:66) sea of tears, for that he had gone from ______Christ. Some say that, after his sad fall, he ______was ever and anon weeping, and that his ______face was even furrowed with continual tears. ______He had no sooner taken in poison but he ______vomited it up again, ere it got to the vitals; ______he had so sooner handled this serpent but he turned it into a rod, to scourge his soul 04. What was Peter doing at this critical with remorse for sinning against such clear time? (14:66) light, and strong love, and sweet discoveries ______of the heart of Christ to him. ______63 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______10. Why did Peter move “out into the 05. How do we know Peter was entryway”? (14:68) concerned for Jesus? (14:66) ______11. Who else besides the servant girl 06. What was the servant girl’s opinion of confronted Peter? Why? (14:70) Jesus? (14:66-69) ______12. Who in the courtyard was curious and 07. How did Peter’s denial of Christ insistent about finding out who Jesus’ happen? (14:66-72) followers were? (14:66-70) ______

08. Who confronted Peter about his 13. How did Peter respond to the third association with Jesus? (14:67) question about whether he was a ______follower of Christ? (14:71) ______09. How did Peter respond to the servant girl’s questioning? (14:68, 70) 14. Why did Peter cry? (14:72) ______64 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

______15. What reminded Peter of Jesus’ words ______to Him earlier? (14:72) ______20. What does this story tell you about ______you? ______16. How did Peter react when he realized ______what he had done? (14:72) ______21. What different kinds of reactions have ______you received when you have told ______others about your faith in Christ? ______Get It ______17. What does this story tell us about Peter? 22. Why are Christians sometimes afraid ______to identify themselves as believers in ______Christ? ______18. Why do you think Peter denied ______knowing Christ? ______23. Why are Christians sometimes afraid ______to tell non-Christian friends about ______Christ? ______19. What does this story tell us about ______human nature? ______24. In what sorts of situations are you sometimes uncomfortable or fearful 65 GOSPEL OF MARK Chapter 14

about identifying with Christ or ______Christianity? ______29. What person do you need to tell of ______your faith in Christ? When can you? ______25. What can we learn about the cost of ______being Christ’s disciple from this ______passage? ______

26. How do other people’s attitudes toward Christ affect your willingness to talk about your Christian faith? ______

27. How can you affirm your faith in Christ in situations where others may be indifferent or hostile to it? ______

Apply It 28. In what situation or context will you consciously identify with Christ publicly this week? How? ______