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The Gospel of Mark
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BIBLE STUDY MARK 14:1-72 REVIEW: With Chapter 13, commonly called “The Little Apocalypse” (as opposed to the “Great Apocalypse” – the book of Revelation), Mark addresses a Christian community that suffered great persecution and could likely expect to suffer even more on account of their faith. This chapter was likely written to help them (and us) understand that God was still in control. It called upon Christians to remain faithful, and it assured them that ultimately God would vindicate God’s people. When discussing the magnificent temple with his disciples, Jesus gives warning not to be too impressed by this human work for “not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” What most impresses GOD, rather, and will endure far longer than the magnificent things that the world tends to notice is faith and devotion to helping the poor. Jesus warns against becoming “alarmed” about such “signs” as wars and earthquakes. For even in the midst of persecutions, we are to trust God and to remain faithful. Finally, at the end of Chapter 13 Jesus balances two basic points: 1. The End-time is near. Certainly, most of the apocalyptic “signs” have been fulfilled. 2. No one knows exactly when the end will be. Jesus makes it clear that NO ONE – neither the angels in heaven nor even the Son knows. Therefore, we should beware of “false messiahs” who claim to have special knowledge of when these things will happen. He emphasizes that we should not even be concerned about trying to understand the timing, rather we should simply trust that everything will be fulfilled in God’s good time. Admonitions such as “keep alert” and “keep awake” sum up the entire 13th chapter of Mark. When the four disciples, James, John, Peter and Andrew, asked Jesus when these things would happen, he answers them that “no one knows”. However, he told them that these things WILL happen and that we must always be ready for those times – times of war, famine, persecutions, sufferings, false messiahs, etc. If we are ready for these times in our lives, and in our faith, we will then also be ready for THE TIME when the Son of Man comes again to gather his elect. Amen! CHAPTER 14:1-2 “A Time to Kill” “It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for thy said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’” In Chapter 12, we saw how Jesus publicly humiliated the chief priests, scribes, and elders with his parable about the wicked tenants (12:1-9). We learned, at that point, that these religious authorities already “wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd…(12:12)” After that, while teaching to the large crowd in the temple, Jesus even went so far as to denounce the scribes, saying, “beware the scribes” and describing them in shades of hypocrisy (12:38-40). Here, in Chapter 14, we learn two things. First, the chief priests and scribes do not easily forget a challenge to their authority. This sort of confrontation is obviously not something they can allow to happen without recourse. Second, they are still afraid of the crowd. They must find a time or place other than the Passover festival where there will be many people gathered. Their window of opportunity for revenge is only two days. Time is of the essence. CHAPTER 14:3-9 “The Anointing of Jesus” “While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ ” An account of this incident is found in all four Gospels (with some variations). Luke has the story taking place earlier in Jesus’ Galilean ministry in the house of Simon “the Pharisee.” Like this account from Mark, John has it taking place in Bethany, but in the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus rather than the house of Simon “the Leper.” In all accounts the basic events are the same, Jesus is anointed by a woman and there is an objection among those present based on the use of this very expensive ointment. In Matthew it is the disciples who complain about the waste, in John the complaint is attributed solely to Judas. This can be viewed as yet another example of the disciples’ tendency to want to control the behavior of other people. Already we have seen the disciples try to stop the man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name (9:38), then we saw them try to prevent the children from coming to him (10:13-16), then they ordered blind Bartimaeus to stop calling to Jesus (10:48). In all of these cases the disciples are countered by Jesus who disapproves of their attempts to interfere. In this story we find them grumbling about the woman anointing Jesus with this costly ointment. To this, Jesus responds, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me…” Perhaps there is a good lesson for us here. What does it help to complain about the work that other people are doing, especially if we admit that we do not know or understand all the services that God calls people to do for the kingdom? When Jesus says, “For you always have the poor with you…” he is drawing on the tradition from Deuteronomy 15:11, in which the Lord says, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land’” This would have likely been a commonly held principal and way of life for the disciples, a discipline that Jesus would likely have taught and not have refuted. Therefore, Jesus’ statement here should not be taken as license for a lack of concern, or apathy toward the poor. The main point is simply that he (Jesus) would not be around much longer and this is a worthy use of the ointment. This conversation, in other words, can be viewed as yet another passion prediction. This good work, this anointing, is timely, appropriate and is in fact a critical part of the gospel. For, “wherever the good news (gospel) is proclaimed…what she has done will be told…” Central to this passage is the idea of “anointing.” First, anointing is symbolic of messiahship. Messiahs are said to be “anointed” for their messianic role. Secondly, and more explicitly here, Jesus words point to the anointing of a corpse. In effect the reality of his passion and death is already at hand. Already, from the very beginning of the passion narrative, the end is inevitable. From here on out, Jesus can be said to be “a dead man walking.” CHAPTER 14:10-11 “Judas Goes to the Chief Priests” “Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.” Immediately following the anointing of Jesus’ body for burial, the events of the passion begin to unfold. A sad irony is that this act of secretive betrayal carried out in exchange for money is remembered much more often than the selfless act of the anointing, which Jesus said would be proclaimed in the whole world “wherever the good news is proclaimed.” CHAPTER 14:12-16 “A Place for Passover” “On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him. And wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he came with the twelve.” Here we see that Jesus and his disciples kept the Passover ceremony as was customary among the Jews. We also learn that Jesus must have had a disciple or a connection in Jerusalem who owned property—a place to hold the Passover with his disciples. According to Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh in their Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, the man carrying a jar of water would have been quite conspicuous, as this was normally a task reserved for women. In other words, this would have been an effective sign for recognizing someone in a crowd. An interesting aspect of the text is that it is difficult to tell how many people were present at this location. Throughout Mark the term “disciples” indicates belonging to “the twelve,” however, here it seems that Jesus is sending two of his disciples to make arrangements and then, as we see in the next section, he arrives later with the twelve. It is not clear if the property owners were also to be part of the ceremony. CHAPTER 14:17-21 “One of the Twelve” “When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” In this scene, Jesus makes a solemn announcement—elaborating about his betrayal which he first mentioned in his second passion prediction back in Chapter 9 (9:31). Here he announces that it would be one of the twelve who would betray him. As Jesus says “as it is written of him,” we get a sense that, according to Jesus, this imminent betrayal is in accord with the divine purpose—that it is meant to be this way. Again, as with his previous passion predictions, the disciples are not on board with this divine “plan.” “Surely, not I?” With this question, every disciple of every generation must look at oneself with humility and hope that it is not. CHAPTER 14:22-25 “His Last Supper” “While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Each Sunday we gather as a church to celebrate and commemorate this meal—“the Last Supper.” The words of institution—the story that we tell, however, is not quite the same as this one found in Mark’s Gospel. Rather, the retelling of the story for worship on Sunday morning is a combination of accounts that we know from the three Synoptic Gospels as well as Paul’s account in one of his letters to Corinth (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20; and 1Cor 11). Taken on its own, the Marken emphasis seems to be on the action of Jesus in his self-giving that is about to take place. Jesus has predicted again and again in Mark about his passion, his death, and his resurrection. Here, at his last Supper with his disciples, he does so again saying, “…I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Although some later Greek manuscripts add “new” before “covenant,” this was likely an addition based on the influence of 1 Corinthians 11:25 and Luke 22:20. The term “blood of the covenant” appears in Exodus 24:1-8 when Moses ratifies the Sinai covenant by sprinkling the people with blood. It is possible that Jesus interpreted these events, in some sense, as the ratification of a covenant between God and people…for his blood (of the covenant) is “poured out for many.” The term “Covenant,” used only here in Mark, is a central concept of the Jewish people: their religion, and their understanding of who God is. God is a God of “covenant.” When God makes a covenant with people, a new people is formed. Therefore, God’s making of Covenants is intrinsically related to the divine creativity. God is a God of “covenant”; he creates. In the Church, the Lord’s Supper can be viewed as the means of unity between God and his people who live in hope of God’s ultimate redemption. In the church, we share in the covenant that Jesus brought us into; a saving relationship or covenant with our God. CHAPTER 14:26-31 “The Disciples will be Deserters” “When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said vehemently, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them said the same.” Here we see how Peter serves as the mouthpiece for all the disciples—expressing a unified disciple sentiment—in Mark’s Gospel. This seems to be a literary device—a simple way for Mark to describe the basic interactions between Jesus and his disciples. Notice how the conversation unfolds. First, Jesus addresses them as a group, and then Peter responds, he has dialogue with Jesus, and then all the disciples fall in line with Peter’s announcement. Again, in this section, Jesus uses the phrase “it is written,” indicating that things are unfolding the way they are meant to unfold according to the divine purpose. In this case, he uses a verse from Zechariah 13:7, which could indicate that this “scattering of sheep” is for the divine purpose of testing and refining the disciples—to make them something more (read Zech 13:7-9). Jesus, as he has habitually done since Chapter 8, continues to elaborate on the events that must unfold according to this divine purpose. Again, Peter proves himself unable to understand or accept the purpose that Jesus predicts (Recall Mark 8:31-33 when Jesus began to “teach” them that he must “undergo great suffering, and be rejected… killed…and rise again.” Peter objected and “he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan!’”). Here, as always, Jesus predicts a little more than he has previously. Now we learn: 1) That all the disciples will desert, 2) That Jesus will go before them to Galilee (after his resurrection,) 3) And that night is tonight. This is it. The build-up is over. Everything is about to happen as “it is written.” MARK 14:32-42 “Gethsemane” “They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour: Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” Gethsemane is a plot of land on the Mount of Olives with olive trees and an olive press. Jesus apparently came here, with his closest disciples with him, in order to pray. Central to this passage is its description of Jesus’ demeanor. For the first time we see that Jesus is extremely distressed and very sad; he is affected by these events that are unfolding. By his own words we get the sense that his emotions were so intense that he either thought they might kill him or were in some sense equivalent to the experience of suffering death. Again we hear reference to the “cup of suffering” that James and John were so willing to take up with Jesus (back in Chapter 9). Jesus here says, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” In this statement we gain great insight into Jesus relationship with his heavenly Father. First, Abba, is a child’s intimate address to his father. The intimacy between Jesus and the Father is the hope of every Christian who enters into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. What a blessing to be able to address God in a close and personal way. Yet, this sort of intimacy is only a reality when the child is willing to trust with everything he/she has. Here we see that Jesus’ trust in the Father is so complete that he is willing to allow anything—even his own death—in order for his Father’s “want” to be fulfilled. The other dynamic of this story, of course, is Jesus’ relationship with his disciples. Most certainly this is part of the reason for Jesus’ great distress and sadness. For, in his time of greatest need, Jesus finds his followers completely inattentive. In a very ironic and literal sense, Jesus’ warning to all (from Chapter 13:32-37), “beware, keep alert…keep awake” is not heeded by his closest three disciples. MARK 14:43-50 “The Betrayal” “Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching. And you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” All of them deserted him and fled. A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.” This section begins with the treacherous betrayal of Jesus by Judas, one of the twelve: his arrival with an armed crowd, his prearranged signal—the use of a kiss which is usually a sign of respect and affection. The section closes with a description of the cowardly flight of all the disciples, plus the ironic flight of one nameless follower, possible signifying the naked shame of the disciples (See Amos 2:16). Whereas these people once left all they had to follow, now they are willing to leave absolutely everything, even their only garment, to flee from him. In leaving this behind, this certain young man chooses nakedness—signifying complete shame—over his fidelity or faithfulness to Jesus. At the center of this section is a violent encounter which spurs an address by Jesus. This, of course, is the secretive action plotted by the chief priests, scribes and elders since the beginning of the chapter (14:1-2). In what seems like an inevitable chain of events, we can only watch as the crowd comes with swords and clubs and someone standing near Jesus reacts by drawing his own sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest. Then Jesus speaks out emphasizing three basic points: 1) Their actions do not at all fit the situation. That is to say, there is no need to arrest Jesus “as though [he] were a bandit. He is not an armed and/or dangerous man, yet the chief priests, scribes and elders have made him out to be some kind of a monster. This illustrates either the blatant disregard, or at least the complete lack of understanding about who and what Jesus is. 2) Then he comments on the cloak of secrecy with which this action is being carried out. 3) And finally he sums up his complaint by returning to the inevitability of these events, saying,“ let the scriptures be fulfilled.” MARK 14:53-65 “The Sanhedrin” “They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders and the scribes were assembled. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,” And ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him.” Mark presents the proceedings as rigged against Jesus from the start. Here we learn that they want “testimony” to condemn Jesus and maintain the pretense of legitimacy for their trial. An aspect of this story that is not frequently brought out is that this section describes what anthropologists call a “status degradation ritual.” Up to this point the religious authorities feared to act in public (see 11:18, 12:12). According to Malina and Rourbaugh in their Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, this indicates that Jesus’ status in the public mind rendered him invulnerable. Thus, in order to destroy him it was first necessary to destroy his standing in full view of the disciple Peter and the public. Suddenly, according to Mark, the secretive actions to arrest Jesus become a very public display in the courtyard of the Chief Priest intended to humiliate him. The so called “status degradation ritual”, according to Malina and Rourbaugh is …a process of publicly recasting, re-labeling, humiliating and thus re-categorizing a person as a social deviant. Such rituals express the moral indignation of the denouncers and often mock or denounce a person’s former identity in such a way as to destroy it totally. Usually it is accompanied by a revisionist account of the person’s past which indicates that he has been deviant all along. With false testimony, wild accusations, a display of grief on the part of the Chief Priests (tearing his garment), and concluding with the making of a public mockery (spitting, blindfolding, and striking him), this is precisely what the chief priests, scribes and elders accomplish. No longer, as we will soon see, will the crowd be an ally of Jesus. MARK 14:66-72 “Peter’s Denial” “While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “Your also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.” At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.” After apparently witnessing the public display of Jesus in the courtyard, Peter who was already following Jesus “at a distance,” now distances himself even further. Both physically, as he moves to forecourt (or the gateway), and verbally, he adamantly denies knowing “this man.” The figures of Jesus and Peter provide the Markan community, and perhaps all Christians of every time, with a stark contrast and a choice. Are we to be people of fidelity and truth (as Jesus represents), or cowardice and apparent safety (as Peter represents)? Which seems more fulfilling? To the Markan community around Rome, Peter would emerge as a figure to be avoided, but due to his later career as an apostle and martyr’s death, he would also come to symbolize consolation and redemption (Peter-the forgiven sinner). -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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