OUR REVOLUTIONARY Mark 14:43-52 STUDIES IN MARK’S

RELATED SCRIPTURES 4.18.21 Philippians 2:5-11 | Psalm 41:9 | John 18:1-11

SUMMARY The darkness of night was an appropriate setting for one of the most wicked acts in all of history—the betrayal of Jesus that came from the of Judas. Jesus and the disciples were in a familiar, secluded spot when suddenly they were approached by a crowd likely comprised of members of the temple guard and soldiers of the Roman garrisons stationed in Jerusalem. To provide the soldiers with a means of identifying Jesus, Judas instructed, “The one I kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” The irony is hard to miss: an act of peace and affection is the instrument Judas uses to commence the violence of the cross. Up to this point in the , it’s safe to assume that most of his disciples have an expectation that Jesus would be a revolutionary; Jesus would be the one to overthrow Rome. At least to some extent, the disciples are expecting violence. Through John’s account of the same events, we learn that Peter drew his sword first on the angry crowd. He struck one of the soldiers severing his ear. The response from Jesus is irony-in-reverse to that of Judas. The King of all creation who has command of all the angelic armies of heaven surrenders peacefully to the mob. But it is through surrender that Jesus wages war against a far greater foe than Rome; he engaged sin and death in a battle that only Jesus could win through surrender. Not with swords and clubs, but with a holy willingness and joy, he stands in our place to absorb the punishment meant for us. Jesus, Our Revolutionary, gains us victory by laying down his life.

GROUP QUESTIONS

From the sermon or your direct reading of Mark 14:43-52, share something that surprises, encourages, or troubles you.

Jesus meets the angry mob with surrender instead of conflict; how does this inform our faith? How does it change our behavior? Does this mean we never stand up for ourselves or others? Why or why not?

In what ways are you like Judas? In what ways you like Peter? Both eventually betrayed Jesus, so what (or who) ultimately made them different from one another? How should this affect the way we see ourselves and others?

If there’s one thing Jesus would want you to walk away believing and receiving as a result of this portion of Scripture, what is that thing?

CLOSE IN PRAYER As you pray, be sure to include today’s themes in what you bring before God.