DBG - October 23 - Mark 14

In this chapter Christ is arrested and tried before the Jewish leaders.

vs. 1-2 – This parallels Matthew 26:1-5 and Luke 22:1-2.  The plot against Christ escalates.  The upcoming Passover with so many people gathered in Jerusalem made them hesitant to act, but they will seize the opportunity that will come to them with Judas.

vs. 3-9 – This parallels Matthew 26:6-13 and John 12:2-10.  A woman that is identified as Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anoints Christ with valuable spikenard.  The complaint by Judas (see John’s account) estimates its value at 300 denarii, about $2,500 in value today.  To put that in better perspective, the common day’s pay for an unskilled laborer was 1 denarius (see Matthew 20:1-16), so this is almost a year’s salary for such.  Christ rebukes the complaint and remarks that she is merely preparing His body for its burial.  They did not know that He would be crucified the next day.   

vs. 10-11 – This parallels Matthew 14:16 and Luke 22:7-13.  No doubt the rebuke for complaining about the cost of the spikenard in the previous verses caused Judas to decide to betray Christ.  He secretly meets with the Jewish leaders and arranges payment for the dastardly deed.

vs. 12-16 – This parallels Matthew 26:17-19 and Luke 22:7-13.  Remember that the Jewish day began at nightfall and not dawn.  Since this is the beginning of the Day of Preparation for the Passover, it is the night before the Passover would be eaten.  The Last Supper is not the Seder meal of the Passover.  The disciples believe they are preparing for both this night’s supper and the Seder meal the following night.  Two disciples are sent to secure a place and are told to look for a man with a pitcher of water.  This would be unusual as that task was generally left to the women.  This man would provide them with an “upper room,” which is something like a gazebo built on top of the flat roof of a home.

vs. 17 – This parallels Matthew 26:20 and Luke 22:14-18.  The Last Supper begins with Christ and the twelve disciples gathered in an upper room. 

vs. 18-21 – This parallels Matthew 26:21-25, Luke 22:21-23, and John 13:21-35.  Christ reveals that one of the Twelve will betray Him and identifies the traitor through their sopping their bread in the same dish as Him.  The prophecy alluded to in verse 21 is probably not a singular one, but an overview of the various prophecies pointing to Christ’s betrayal and death such as Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53.

vs. 22-25 – This parallels Matthew 26:26-29 and Luke 22:19-20.  Christ institutes the Lord’s Supper as a method for remembering His sacrifice for our sins.  This is something new and not related to the Seder meal.

vs. 26 - This parallels Matthew 26:30, Luke 22:39, and John 18:1.  A hymn, probably part of the Hallel (Psalms 113-118), is sung before the group departs for the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.    

vs. 27-31 – This parallels Matthew 26:31-35, Luke 22:31-38, and John 13:36-38.  As they travel to the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ warns the disciples that they will forsake Him and flee that night.  Peter denies that he will do so, and Christ tells him that he will deny Christ three times before the rooster crowed twice. 

vs. 32-42 – This parallels Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46, and John 18:1.  Christ tells the disciples to pray before taking Peter, James, and John apart to pray by themselves.  Christ then goes by Himself to pray earnestly for the trials ahead of Him.  He returns to find the disciples asleep and reprimands them for not staying awake in prayer.  This is repeated.  The third time Christ returns He wakes them as Judas leads a mob to arrest Him.

vs. 43-50 – This parallels Matthew 26:47-56, Luke 22:47-53, and John 18:2-12.  Judas betrays Christ by greeting Him with a kiss.  The armed guards arrest Christ.  It is Peter who draws his sword in defense of Christ.  The disciples flee as Christ is arrested and led away.

vs. 51-52 – Only Mark records this curious detail.  The young man, who is not identified but some think is Mark himself, had been waked from sleep by the procession of the mob.  He does not take time to dress but wraps his blanket around him and goes to see what is going on.  The soldiers mistake him for a disciple and attempt to seize him.  He flees, leaving his blanket behind.  The purpose of including this incident is either a subtle way that Mark reveals himself to be an eyewitness of these events or to show the fear and shame that took control of the disciples at time.

vs. 53-65 – This parallels Matthew 26:57-68 , Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-27.  Christ is brought before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin for trial.  He is found guilty and condemned on charges of heresy in this mockery of justice.  The only thing the false witnesses could agree on was His statement recorded in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  John clarifies that this is about His death and resurrection, but the Jews take it as a claim that He would destroy the Temple in Jerusalem.  When pressed to identify Himself as the Messiah, Christ does so.  He is condemned to death, and then beaten and mocked. 

vs. 66-72 – This parallels Matthew 26:69-75, Luke 22:55-62, and John 18:15-27.  As Christ is on trial, Peter is outside among the High Priest’s servants.  He is identified as one of the disciples three times, and he denies it three times.  The cock crows at the third time, and Peter’s heart is broken as he recalls the words of Christ that predicted his betrayal.

We are often like Peter and speak boldly without considering what we are saying.  His bravado led him to announce the he would never betray Christ, yet he did so three times within a few hours.  It is heartbreaking to see Christ’s friends flee in this dark hour.  However, it does have one positive aspect.  Someone once said that if Christ had been crucified between two disciples that we would be tempted to think they had something to do with our salvation.  Christ and Christ alone bore our burdens and won the victory.  When mortal hearts fail, Christ never fails.

Our hymn today is “Olive’s Brow,” written in 1822 by William B. Tappan.

’Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
’Tis midnight, in the garden now
The suffering Savior prays alone.

’Tis midnight, and from all removed
Emmanuel wrestles lone with fears
E’en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.

’Tis midnight, and for others’ guilt
The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood;
Yet He who hath in anguish knelt
Is not forsaken by His God.

’Tis midnight, and from ether plains
Is borne the song that angels know;
Unheard by mortals are the strains
That sweetly soothe the Savior’s woe.