AM March 2nd Mark 14

March 2^nd Mark 14

C. The Suffering Servant

The Plot

1: After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2: But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

The Anointing

3: And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. 4: And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5: For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6: And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7: For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8: She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Judas’ plan

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

The Preparation of the Passover

12: And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover¹, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? 13: 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: And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15: And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16: And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 17: And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18: And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19: And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20: And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 21: The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

The Last supper

22: And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23: And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24: And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25: Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 26: And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Jesus predicts Peters denial

27: 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. 28: But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29: But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30: And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31: But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

Jesus in the Garden

32: And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33: And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34: And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35: And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36: And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37: And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38: Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39: And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40: And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41: And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42: Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

Betrayed and arrested

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

In the house of Simon the Leper Christ is anointed with spikenard on his head by an unknown woman. (This is different to the anointing of the feet of Christ by Mary) There were some that had indignation against her for wasting such a valuable thing. However they were missing the point. Christ is so precious that nothing would be too expensive to spend on him. Her worship is always told in the entire world today but their worship is never mentioned! For Judas this was the last straw. He went out to arrange with Christ’s enemies how he would betray Christ. This was the our Monday evening. On the Tuesday – the first day of unleavened bread Christ arranged secretly to eat the Passover with the disciples in the upper room. Judas and the rest of the disciples are never told the location. This supper was not to be disturbed. When they were all seated for the Last supper Christ told them that one of them would betray him. They were all convicted because they all felt within their hearts that they could be the one Christ spoke of. After the Supper meal Christ instituted the Last supper. In which he gave bread and wine to them and told them to do this together as a memorial of his death and resurrection. Then Christ told them that they would all forsake him but Peter said, No, l will not forsake you. but Christ said yes you will in fact you will deny me three times before the morning breaks. Then they set out for Gethsemane, where Jesus often went to Pray. This was a night of great struggle for Christ The struggle was to submit himself to the Fathers will. In the end he said triumphantly ‘Not my will, but thine be done’. The disciple could not stay awake to be with Christ in his greatest hour of need. When Judas arrived with servants of the High Priest to arrest Christ the time for Christ’s suffering was about to commence. Judas pinpointed Christ in the darkness of the Garden by calling him master, master and kissing him. The servants of the High Priest took Christ. One of the disciples took a sword and lashed out at one of the servants but Christ stopped the aggression immediately and healed the man. The Disciples ran away for fear of being caught by the authorities.

• How would you describe the contrast between the plot of the religious leaders and the worship of the unnamed woman?
• What day was it when this supper was held?
• What did Christ reveal to the Disciples at the meal?
• Why was the Garden of Gethsemane such a struggle for Christ?

1The Preparation of the Passover took place on the Tuesday Evening, The next day Christ was tried and crucified. When Christ was on the cross the Passover lambs were killed roasted and eaten after sunset. Christ was in the tomb before sunset, Wednesday.