Mark 14

Mark 14:1

VII. THE SERVANT’S PASSION AND DEATH (Chaps. 14, 15) A. The Plot to Kill Jesus (14:1, 2) It was now Wednesday of that fateful week. In two days it would be Passover, ushering in the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread. The religious leaders were determined to destroy the Lord Jesus, but didn’t want to do it during the religious holidays because many of the people still considered Jesus a prophet. Though the chief priests and the scribes determined not to kill Him during the feast, divine Providence overruled them, and the Paschal Lamb of God was killed at that very time (see Mat_26:2).

Mark 14:3

B. Jesus Anointed at Bethany (14:3-9) As a jeweler places a diamond against black velvet, the Holy Spirit and His human writer Mark skillfully highlight the radiance of a woman’s love for our Lord between the dark plotting of the religious hierarchy and that of Judas. 14:3 Simon the leper held a feast in honor of the Savior, perhaps in gratitude for being healed. An unnamed woman (probably Mary of Bethany, Joh_12:3) lavishly anointed Jesus’ head with some very costly perfume. Her love for Him was great. 14:4, 5 Some of the guests thought this was a tremendous waste. She was reckless, prodigal. Why hadn’t she sold the perfume and given the money to the poor? (Three hundred denarii was the equivalent of a year’s wages.) People still think it a waste to give a year of one’s life to the Lord. How much more a waste would they consider it to give one’s whole life to the Lord! 14:6-8 Jesus rebuked their murmuring. She had recognized her golden opportunity to pay this tribute to the Savior. If they were so solicitous for the poor, they would always be able to help them, because the poor are always present. But the Lord would soon die and be buried. This woman wanted to show this kindness while she could. She might not be able to care for His body in death, so she would show her love while He was still alive. 14:9 The fragrance of that perfume reaches down to our generation. Jesus said that she would be memorialized worldwide. She has beenthrough the Gospel records.

Mark 14:10

C. The Treachery of Judas (14:10, 11) The woman prized the Savior highly. Judas, by contrast, valued Him very lightly. Though he had lived with the Lord Jesus for at least a year, and had received nothing but kindness from Him, Judas now sneaked off to the chief priests with a guarantee to betray the Son of God into their hands. They seized the offer gladly, offering to pay him for his treachery. All he had to do now was work out the details.

Mark 14:12

D. Preparations for the Passover (14:12-16) Although the exact chronology is not certain, we have probably now come to Thursday of Passover Week. The disciples little realized that this would be the fulfillment and climax of all the Passovers that had ever been held. They asked the Lord for directions as to where to hold the Passover. He sent them to Jerusalem with instructions to look for a man … carrying a pitcher of watera rarity since women usually carried waterpots. This man would lead them to the proper house. They would then ask the owner to show them to a room where the Teacher could eat the Passover with His disciples. It is wonderful to see the Lord choosing and commanding in this way. He acts as the Sovereign Ruler of men and property. It is also wonderful to see responsive hearts putting themselves and their possessions at His disposal. It is good for us when He has instant, ready access to every room in our lives!

Mark 14:17

E. Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (14:17-21) That same evening He came with the twelve to the upper room which had been prepared. As they reclined and ate, Jesus announced that one of the disciples would betray Him. They all recognized the evil propensities of their own natures. With a healthy distrust of self, each asked if he were the culprit. Jesus then disclosed the traitor as the one who dipped the bread with Him in the meat-juice, that is, the one to whom He gave the piece of bread. The Son of Man was going forward to His death as predicted, He said, but the doom of His betrayer would be great. In fact, it would have been good … if he had never been born.

Mark 14:22

F. The First Lord’s Supper (14:22-26) 14:22-25 After taking the bread, Judas went out into the night (Joh_13:30). Jesus then instituted what we know as the Lord’s Supper. Its meaning is beautifully outlined in the three words: (1) He tookhumanity upon Himself; (2) He brokeHe was about to be broken on the cross; (3) He gave He gave Himself for us. The bread signified His body given, the cup His blood shed. By His blood He ratified the New Covenant. For Him there would be no more festive joy until He returned to earth to set up His kingdom.14:26 At that point, they sang a hymnprobably a portion of the Great HallelPsalms 113-118. Then they went out from Jerusalem, across the Kidron, to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 14:27

G. Peter’s Self-Confidence (14:27-31) 14:27, 28 On the way, the Savior warned the disciples that they would all be ashamed and afraid to be known as His followers in the hours ahead. It would be as Zechariah had predicted; the Shepherd would be struck and His sheep would be scattered (Zec_13:7). But He graciously assured them that He would not disown them; after rising from the dead, He would be waiting for them in Galilee. 14:29, 30 Peter was indignant at the thought of denying the Lord. The others might, but he?Never! Jesus corrected that Never! to Soon. Before the rooster crowed twice, Peter would have disowned the Savior three times. 14:31 It’s preposterous, shouted Peter, I’ll die before I deny You! Peter wasn’t the only one to make that noisy boast. They all engaged in brash, self-confident assertions. Let us never forget that, for we are no different. We must all learn the cowardice and weakness of our hearts.

Mark 14:32

H. The Agony in Gethsemane (14:32-42) 14:32 Darkness had settled over the land. It was Thursday night running into Friday morning. When they came to an enclosed piece of ground named Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus left eight of the disciples near the entrance. 14:33, 34 He took Peter, James, and John with Him deeper into the garden. There He experienced an overpowering burden on His holy soul as He anticipated becoming a sin-offering for us. We cannot conceive what it meant to Him, the Sinless One, to be made sin for us. He left the three disciples with instructions to stay there and stay awake. He went a little farther into the garden alone. Thus would He go to the cross alone, bearing the awful judgment of God against our sins. 14:35 With wonder and amazement, we see the Lord Jesus prostrate on the ground, praying to God. Was He asking to be excused from going to the cross? Not at all; this was the purpose of His coming into the world. First, He prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. If there was any other way by which sinners could be saved than by His death, burial, and resurrection, let God reveal that way. The heavens were silent. There was no other way in which we could be redeemed. 14:36 Again, He prayed, Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will. Notice that He addressed God as His beloved Father with whom all things are possible. Here it was not so much a matter of physical possibility as of moral. Could the Almighty Father find any other righteous basis upon which He could save ungodly sinners? The silent heavens indicated that there was no other way. The Holy Son of God must bleed that sinners might be freed from sin! 14:37-40 Returning to the three disciples, He found them sleepinga sad commentary on fallen human nature. Jesus warned Peter against sleeping in that crucial hour. Only recently, Peter had boasted of his undying steadfastness. Now he couldn’t even stay awake. If a man cannot pray for one hour, it is unlikely that he will be able to resist temptation in the moment of extreme pressure. No matter how enthusiastic his spirit may be, he must reckon with the frailty of his flesh. 14:41, 42 Three times the Lord Jesus returned to find the disciples asleep. Then He said, Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. With that, they got up as if to go forth. But they didn’t have to go far.

Mark 14:43

I. Jesus Betrayed and Arrested (14:43-52) 14:43 Judas had already entered the garden with a posse. His cohorts were carrying swords and clubs, as if they were going to capture a dangerous felon. 14:44, 45 The betrayer had a prearranged signal. He would kiss the One whom they should seize. So he strode up to Jesus, addressed Him as Rabbi, and kissed Him effusively. (The emphatic form in the original suggests repeated or demonstrative kissing.) Why did Judas betray the Lord? Was he disappointed that Jesus had not seized the reins of government? Were his hopes dashed for a place of prominence in the kingdom? Was he overcome by greed? All of these might have contributed to his infamous deed. 14:46-50 The armed henchmen of the betrayer stepped forward and arrested the Lord. Peter quickly drew his sword and sliced off the ear of the servant of the high priest. It was a natural reaction, not a spiritual one. Peter was using carnal weapons to fight a spiritual warfare. The Lord rebuked Peter and miraculously restored the ear, as we read in Luk_22:51 and Joh_18:11. Jesus then reminded His captors how incongruous it was for them to take Him by force! He had been daily with them in the temple teaching. Why hadn’t they seized Him then? He knew the answer. The Scriptures must be fulfilled which prophesied that He would be betrayed (Psa_41:9), arrested (Isa_53:7), manhandled (Psa_22:12) and forsaken (Zec_13:7). 14:51, 52 Mark is the only evangelist who records this incident. It is widely believed that Mark himself was the young man who, in his frenzy to escape, left his covering in the grasp of the armed men. The linen cloth was not a regular garment but a piece of cloth which he had picked up quickly for an improvised covering. Erdman comments: Probably this picturesque incident is added to show how completely Jesus was forsaken in the hours of His peril and pain. He surely knew what it was to suffer alone.

Mark 14:53

J. Jesus Before the High Priest (14:53, 54) The record of the ecclesiastical trial extends from verse 53 to 15:1 and is divided into three parts: (1) Trial before the high priest (vv. 53, 54); (2) Midnight meeting of the Sanhedrin (vv. 55-65); (3) Meeting of the Sanhedrin in the morning (Mar_15:1). 14:53 It is generally agreed that Mark here records the trial before Caiaphas. The trial before Annas is found in Joh_18:13, Joh_18:19-24. 14:54 Peter trailed the Lord Jesus to the courtyard of the high priest, following at what he thought would be a safe distance. Someone has outlined his downfall as follows:

1. He first foughtmisdirected enthusiasm.
2. He then fledcowardly withdrawal.
3. Finally he followed afar offhalf-hearted discipleship by night. He sat by the fire with the officers, warming himself with the enemies of his Lord.

Mark 14:55

K. Jesus Before the Sanhedrin (14:55-65) 14:55-59 Although it is not specifically stated, v. 55 seems to begin the account of a midnight meeting of the Sanhedrin. The body of seventy-one religious leaders was presided over by the high priest. On this particular night, the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and elders who comprised the Sanhedrin showed an utter disregard for the rules under which they operated. They were not supposed to meet at night or during any of the Jewish feasts. They were not supposed to bribe witnesses to commit perjury. A death verdict was not to be carried out until a night had elapsed. Unless they met in the Hall of Hewn Stone, in the temple area, their verdicts were not binding. In their eagerness to do away with the Lord Jesus, the religious authorities did not hesitate to stoop to breaking their own laws. Their determined efforts produced a group of false witnesses but they failed to produce united testimony. Some misquoted the Lord as threatening to destroy the temple made with hands, and within three days, to rebuild another, made without hands. What Jesus actually said is found in Joh_2:19. They purposely confused the temple in Jerusalem with the temple of His body. 14:60-62 When the high priest first questioned Him, Jesus did not reply. But when asked under oath (Mat_26:63) whether He was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed, the Savior replied that He was, thus acting in obedience to Lev_5:1. Then, as if to remove any doubt as to who He claimed to be, the Lord Jesus told the high priest that he would yet see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming back to earth with the clouds of heaven. By this He meant that the high priest would yet see Him openly manifested as God. During His First Advent, the glory of His deity was veiled in a human body. But when He comes again in power and great glory, the veil will be removed and everyone will know exactly who He is. 14:63, 64 The high priest understood what Jesus meant. He tore his clothes as a sign of his righteous indignation against this supposed blasphemy. The one Israelite who should have been most ready to recognize and receive the Messiah was loudest in his condemnation. But not he alone; the entire Sanhedrin agreed that Jesus had blasphemed, and condemned Him to be deserving of death. 14:65 The scene that followed was grotesque in the extreme. Some members of the Sanhedrin began to spit on the Son of God, to blindfold Him, and to challenge Him to name His assailants. It is almost incredible that the worthy Savior should have to endure such contradiction of sinners against Himself. The officers (temple police) joined in the scandal by hitting Him with the palms of their hands.

Mark 14:66

L. Peter Denies Jesus and Weeps Bitterly (14:66-72) 14:66-68 Peter was waiting below in the courtyard of the building. One of the servant girls of the high priest passed by. She peered intently at him, then charged him with being a follower of the Nazarene, Jesus. The pathetic disciple pretended complete ignorance of her charge, then moved to the porch in time to hear a rooster crow. It was a ghastly moment. Sin was taking its terrible toll. 14:69, 70 The girl saw him again and pointed him out as a disciple of Jesus. Peter made another cold denial, and probably wondered why people didn’t leave him alone. Then the crowd said to Peter, Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.14:71, 72 Cursing and swearing, Peter defiantly stated that he did not know this Man. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the rooster crowed. The world of nature seemed thus to protest the cowardly lie. In a flash Peter realized that the Lord’s prediction had come to pass. He broke down and wept. It is significant that all four Gospels record Peter’s denials. We must all learn the lesson that self confidence leads to humiliation. We must learn to distrust self and to lean completely on the power of God.